Unbelievable
by CarVie16
Summary: Part 2.4 of "Unforgivable" series. Six months after the death of Iris West, Barry is brought out of retirement by the return of Savitar. However, Barry finds himself facing an even bigger challenge when he meets someone who reminds him of someone he knew. (Sequel of "Unforgivable")
1. Return of Savitar

**Here it is. The Flash spin-off story to "Unforgivable". Although, I'd say it's more like a sequel, but never mind that. Just like with "Unforgivable", this story will follow the canon storyline with some changes.**

 **As is said in the summary, Savitar will be here. I feel that I wasted him in the previous story all because I wanted Killer Frost to take center stage as the main villain. Now, I can put the God of Speed back in the spotlight.**

 **I did a few rewrites to the Savitar parts of "Unforgivable", but you don't have to read it unless to you want to.**

 **I watched the season finale of Flash, and I have to be honest, it was jaw-dropping and very, very emotional. The final fight and Caitlin's goodbye were some of my favorite moments, but my favorite moment is the finale scene. Barry's goodbyes to Team Flash had me crying, like, really. His goodbye to Iris was the most emotional moment I've seen in the entire season (makes me wish I didn't kill off Iris in "Unforgivable"). Many may not agree, but I think Flash Season 3 is awesome, maybe not as amazing as the first two seasons, but it's still great. #WestAllen**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

It has been six months since the devastating earthquake and the electric storm that destroyed most of Central City. It has been seven months since the madwoman behind the catastrophe, Caitlin Snow, died. It has been seven months since the people have last seen the Flash. Ever since his disappearance, Central City has become worse than a city burning in flames. It has become a playground for the underworld. Criminals run rampant around the streets. They steal from each other, pick on innocent people, and add fuel to the fire burning the city, both literally and figuratively.

Kid Flash and Jesse Quick tried their best to protect the city, but the worst of Central City make it difficult for them. Golden Glider has escaped from Iron Heights and formed a gallery of rogues that includes Trickster, his son Axel, Mirror Master, Top, and Rainbow Raider. They controlled the streets and every criminal in the city owed them for keeping the streets on fire.

At the Central City Station, the first train to ever come into the city instead of out arrived. There was only one passenger. A young woman wearing a blue hoodie to hide her face exited the train. She walked through the streets and observed the chaos. Innocent people were either being forced to serve or used as punching bags. Engines of motorcycles and trucks roared throughout every corner.

"Cheery place," she said with sarcasm.

Suddenly, one man grabbed her by the shoulder and aimed a gun at her head.

"Okay, lady. Just hand over your wallet and I'll let you live," said the man.

"You picked the wrong person to rob, dummy," said the girl.

"Insult me again and I'll put a bullet in your head," threatened the man.

Unexpectedly, the girl quickly smacks the man's armed hand away, knees him in the stomach, and then twists his arm. He gets up and uses his uninjured arm to punch, but she dodged his incoming fist. She kicks him in the face and the chest multiple times before finishing with a aerial spin kick, knocking him down.

The man was seeking to get back up, not giving up, apparently. Suddenly, the girl suddenly creates an icicle out of thin air and stabs him in the chest with it. The man grunts in pain until he stopped breathing.

The girl rips the icicle out of the man's chest and shatters it to pieces without even squeezing it in her hand.

"Not how I wanted my visit to go," she said to herself. "Then again, the last thing I want is to be seen by a Flash."

* * *

After the destruction of Central City, Joe West had to move his family to Keystone, especially since the Rogues took over. He became police detective at the KCPD. However, he was broken. He was still grieving over the loss of his daughter, Iris. When he's not wearing a badge, he was mostly grieving alone. He pushed Cecile away, ignoring her whenever she tried to reach him.

Wally and Jesse were not doing any better either. Between their repeated failed attempts to retake Central City from the Rogues and the loss of the people they care about, they were lucky to have each other or else they would've both taken a darker path following Central City's destruction. When they were not running around the streets, Wally gets a job as an auto mechanic, while Jesse works as a bio-engineer in Mercury Labs' branch in Keystone.

Cisco had also gone to work in Mercury Labs as an engineer. He managed to convince Dr. McGee to use one of the rooms in the underground floors as a base of operations for Team Flash. When Kid Flash and Jesse Quick were out on the field, Cisco would communicate with them from the base. Despite still being his usual self, he was still broken over the loss of Caitlin. He would keep a picture of their first selfie together in the lab.

H.R. had gotten to purse his dream of being an author. He had just published his first book on Earth-1, and it became an instant hit. He may be having a happy life in Keystone, but he was also sad about the fate of Iris and Central City. He would still train Wally and Jesse and give them a lecture or speech to make sure they stay on the path of a hero.

Barry, however, was in his absolute worst. He was even more broken that his family. He refuses to speak to anyone. He refuses to get a job. He refuses to wear the Flash suit again. He wouldn't even cut his growing hair. When he speaks, he speaks with the voice of a man who has lost all will to live his life. His guilt over not being able to save Iris and his city have brought him to his lowest. Every time he sleeps, he keeps on reliving Iris' death and the day Central City fell.

* * *

One gloomy morning, Barry chose to skip breakfast and decided to go to the cafe for a cup of coffee. On his way, he keeps seeing news reports asking "Where is the Flash?" No matter how many times he is reminded of the chaos in Central City, he still refuses to don the cowl again. He may never stop thinking about Iris, but reminders only make him feel worse.

When he arrived at the coffee shop, he bumped into someone entering. The person he bumped into dropped her books.

"I'm so sorry," apologized Barry, picking up the books.

When stood up and looked up, he saw the face of the person he ran into. His froze in shock. The person in front of him looks exactly like someone he knew. A face he could never forget.

"Caitlin?" he asked.

"Who's Caitlin?" asked the girl, confused.

"Uh, sorry. You... you remind me of someone I know," said Barry.

"I get that a lot," said the girl.

Barry returns the books to the girl. She was about to leave, but noticed something about the look on Barry's face.

"Are you okay, sir?" she asked. "You seem... heavy-hearted."

"I just... I lost someone I loved," said Barry sadly.

"I'm sorry," replied the girl. "I know a thing or two about loss."

The two continue to stare at each other.

"Well, I better get going," said the girl. "Nice to meet you, Mr..."

"Allen. Barry Allen," said Barry, introducing himself.

"Frost. Crystal Frost," introduced the girl.

Barry cracked a smile and laughed a little. The girl smiles in response before heading out the door. Barry couldn't stop looking at her. She looks and sounds just like Caitlin, but it's not really her. Even still, his mind begins to wonder about Caitlin. Not being able to save her was another thing he felt guilty about. She chose suicide over letting him help. He can only blame himself for everything that happened to her.

* * *

Not too long after Barry was finished with his breakfast, it started to rain. He takes a bus back home since he doesn't feeling like running anymore. However, the bus broke down just as it reached the edge of the city. Barry chose to exit the bus and run (like a normal person) back home.

He keeps on running, until, all of a sudden, a streak of white lightning zoomed past him, knocking him down.

"What the hell?" wondered a confused Barry.

Barry gets back on his feet as the white lightning returned. He was shocked when he saw what, or more specifically, who, it was. Standing in front of him in an entity wearing a suit of armor made of unknown metal. What is known is the entity's name.

"Savitar," said Barry, shocked.

"Hello, Flash," greeted Savitar.

"How are you still alive?" asked Flash. "I trapped you in the Speed Force."

"You did," said Savitar.

Savitar zooms over and punches Barry in the stomach, sending him flying a few feet in the air.

"Trapping my spirit in the Philosopher's Stone would've kept me trapped forever, but then something happened," said Savitar. "Jay Garrick."

"What did you do to him?" asked Barry, worried.

"I used him as a tool to escape, but if it makes you feel better, he still lives," said Savitar. "He has been connected to the Speed Force for so long that the Philosopher's Stone became attracted to him like a magnet. The Stone siphoned enough of Garrick's speed to allow my spirit to escape the Speed Force. All that was left was for my soul to return to my body, and so it has. I live again!"

"Not for long!" shouted Barry.

For the first time in six months, Barry uses his speed. He runs towards Savitar, but the God of Speed stepped aside and then kicks him in the back, causing Barry to fall face-first on the road.

"Pathetic," said Savitar. "Look at yourself, Flash. Consumed by grief and guilt. You refuse to use your speed because it brings back painful memories. You are an embarrassment as a speedster."

Barry runs towards Savitar and tries to punch him, but Savitar grabs his fist, twists his wrist, and then throws him towards a tree.

"Now that Caitlin Snow is gone, nothing will stand in my way of becoming a god," said Savitar.

"You're not a god!" yelled Barry.

Barry speed-punches Savitar in the face, only to get knocked back down to the ground by a simple punch to the stomach.

"You can't stop me, Flash," said Savitar. "You can try, but in the end, you will fail. I will rise, and you will fall. You think Iris' death is the worst you can experience? Trust me. There is still more of your spirit I can break."

Savitar runs away, leaving Barry to lie down in pain as raindrops continue to soak him. Lacking the will to stand up, all he could do was think. Now that Savitar has returned, he will have no choice but to wear his suit again. However, all that will do is remind him constantly of his failures. He knows he can't escape the pain, but he couldn't let Savitar rule, no matter how broken he is.

 **That's it for the start. I hope this was a good start. Leave a review and let me know, please.**


	2. The Flash is Back

**Here's the new chapter. I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. (Anything but "update please" because it feels pushy)**

 **Special thanks to The Grinning Psychopath, jessicabiggs16, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, KitsuneMalfoy, Darkness032, sara. holliday. 7777, and Guest for reviewing the previous chapter.**

Barry arrives back at Joe's new house, soaked from head to toe. Even if he can't get sick, Joe put a towel around Barry so he can get warm and dry himself. Jesse makes Barry a cup of hot chocolate. Joe saw a bruise on Barry's face and asked what happened. Barry told Joe to call Cisco and H.R. because he wants everyone to hear what he has to say.

When Cisco and HR arrived, Barry tells everyone what happened to him. Needless to say, everyone was shocked.

"I don't get it," said Joe, confused. "How can Savitar be back? I thought you sucked his spirit into the Philosopher's Stone."

"I did," said Barry. "It's hard to explain, but he said that he used Jay's speed to get out."

"That explains the call I got from Lyla telling me about A.R.G.U.S. missing a metal suit of armor," said Cisco.

"Well, he's gonna regret coming back. Team Flash has three speedsters and there's only one of him," said Wally confidently.

Everyone looks at Barry.

"You are getting back out there, right, B.A.?" asked HR.

"I have to," said Barry.

"But you're not in the right condition to be running out there again," said Joe.

Barry gets off the couch and looks at Joe. He says, "Joe, I know I'm broken, but I can't just sit here and let something I created rule this world."

"Okay, Barry, calm down," said Joe. "It's just... everyone in this room knows how hard it's been for you without Iris. It's been hard for all of us. But if she was here, she would have wanted you to keep fighting."

Hearing Joe's words, Barry hangs his head in sadness.

"What's the matter?" asked Joe.

"Nothing, it's just... that's the promise I made Iris. To keep fighting no matter what happens to her," said Barry.

"But you quit," reminded Jesse.

"A promise I couldn't keep," said Barry sadly. "But now, I'm not sitting on the bench anymore. I'm getting back on the field."

"Okay, but first, we need to see if you can still run like the Flash," said Cisco. "We'll start tests tomorrow."

Barry looks at the hair covering his face. "And if I'm suiting up again, does that mean..."

"You need a haircut," said Joe.

Joe and HR heads to the kitchen to grab some hot chocolate. Barry sits back down on the couch and continues drying himself.

"Am I the only one getting Megatron vibes right now?" asked Cisco. "Not only does Savitar look like him, but he's also got his luck. No matter how many times you get rid of him, he just comes back."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," said Wally.

"Well, he's not gonna be lucky for long," said Barry.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish Caitlin was here," said Jesse. "She outsmarted Savitar twice. We could really use Killer Frost's evil but brilliant mind right now."

"She made her choice," said Barry. "We're gonna have to deal with this ourselves."

* * *

The next day, it was time for Barry to test himself. Team Flash was at their secret base at Mercury Labs, currently listening to HR's draft for his new book. Everyone, however, was getting bored. Jesse was already sleeping and head was resting on Wally's shoulder.

"... and as the storm raged on and the sands threatening to blind him, Marco stayed on his feet and kept on walking," read HR. "But the storm was so strong that it nearly blew him down. It was only his will to finish his mission that is keeping him..."

Barry enters the room wearing his Flash suit. He even cut his hair.

"Oh, thank God, Barry!" exclaimed Cisco. "You're late, like, fifteen minutes late."

"Yeah, that was when I started reading my new story," said HR.

"That's not what I meant," said Cisco.

HR raised an eyebrow, confused.

"So, what do you got for me, Cisco?" asked Barry.

Cisco shows Barry the track he planned on the computer. "Just a simple straight path outside Keystone."

"And how can we tell if he's ready?" asked Wally.

"I did some calculating. If Barry runs at his average speed all the way, he should make it out of town in, by my estimate, 44.5 seconds," answered Cisco.

"Oh, no problem. I can do better than just match the time. I can beat it," said Barry confidently.

"Getting cocky, huh? Sounds like you're almost out of your shell," said Jesse with a smile.

"Okay, Keystone, make way. The Flash is making a comeback," announced Cisco, talking like a commentator.

"Good luck, Bar," said Joe. "The world needs the Flash."

* * *

Barry heads outside Mercury Labs. He stands still, capturing some attention, as he waited for Cisco to give him the signal.

 _Cisco started. "Ready... get set... go!"_

Flash started running. Even though he's had his speed for three years, it felt odd to use it against after so long. He has been so caught up with Iris' death that he didn't have the will to use his speed again. Now that he has, he's beginning to regret ever ignoring his powers. The rush of adrenaline. The feeling of the wind in his face. He missed it. He was just too depressed to know it.

 _"Look at him go," said Joe._

 _"He's above his average speed," said Cisco._

 _"Go, B.A., go!" shouted HR._

Feeling motivated by HR's cheering, Flash ran as fast as he could. He was getting closer to the outskirts of the city. However, as he ran, something flashed through his mind. He could see the memory of Killer Frost killing Iris in front of him. He then sees himself running to S.T.A.R. Labs only to get hit by a bolt of electricity, which to him waking up and noticing the destruction to his city. As more bad memories flashed in his head, Flash started to lose focus. He almost ran into a car. Luckily, he ran over it, but after that, he loses concentration and started slowing down. He barely dodges cars coming towards his direction, until he tripped on the sidewalk and crashed into a stop sign, hurting his back.

 _"Ooh! Flash just wiped out of the track," commented Cisco._

 _"Barry, are you okay?" asked Wally._

Flash grunts in pain before saying, "Not really."

Flash gets back on his feet. Everyone on the streets saw him. Some took pictures. Some murmured to each other.

"Uh, hi, everyone," greeted Flash with an awkward smile and wave. "Don't mind me. Just... running along."

 _"Boo!" responded Cisco._

To avoid more awkwardness, Flash runs back to Mercury Labs, hurt back and all.

* * *

Back at Mercury Labs...

Luckily, the secret lab also comes with a medical bay. Barry lie down to be scanned.

"How bad is it?" asked Barry.

"Not too bad, really," said Jesse. "Just a small fracture. Nothing your super healing won't cure for a few hours."

"Barry, what happened?" asked Joe. "You looked like you were doing fine, and then all of a sudden, you just slowed down."

"Did Savitar spook you or something?" asked Wally.

"Nah, if he was there, we would've detected his presence," said Cisco.

"So, what's the problem?" asked Wally.

Barry didn't speak. He just lied down on the bed, silent.

"Barry, you know keeping secrets only makes things worse," said Joe.

"Fine," said Barry. "Memories were flashing in my head."

"What memories?" asked Cisco. "The bad ones, I assume?"

"Yeah," admitted Barry.

"You saw Iris' death, didn't you?" guessed Jesse.

Barry didn't respond, but the sad look on his face gives away the answer.

"Clearly, you're not ready," said Joe.

"But I can't just keep doing tests until I'm ready. We don't know when Savitar will make his move. For all we know, he's making a move right now," said Barry.

"Bar, clearly you're still traumatized from everything that happened in Central City," said Joe. "You need to sit down and relax first."

"I'm with Joe, B.A. You can't fight Savitar if you keep living in the past," said HR.

Barry looks at Cisco, Wally, and Jesse. The looks on their faces tell him that they agree with Joe and HR about him needing to rest and get his mind right.

* * *

Barry walked back to the house. On his way, he noticed something. The house next door, which was abandoned a few months ago, has just been bought. The new owner, to his surprise, was Crystal Frost. She was just signing some papers before entering the house. Despite repeatedly telling himself not to, he decided to pay her a visit.

He was about to knock on the door, but hesitated. He wonders, "Why am I doing this?" Seeing someone who looks like Caitlin should be giving him nightmarish flashbacks, but for some reason, seeing Crystal doesn't. Maybe the reason he's doing this is because he thinks being comfortable seeing someone like Caitlin might help ease his conscience.

He finally knocks on the door. Crystal answers.

"Uh, hi," greeted Crystal. "Wait, you look familiar. Bart, is it?"

"It's Barry, actually," said Barry.

"Did you cut your hair?" asked Crystal. "I like it."

"Thanks," said Barry, rubbing his hair.

"So, what are you doing here?" asked Crystal. "Are you stalking me or something?"

"Uh, actually, I live next door," said Barry. "Just about to head inside until I saw that you were moving in."

"Look at that. We're neighbors," said Crystal delightfully.

Barry smiled a little.

"Do you wanna come inside?" asked Crystal.

"Uh, I don't want to bother you," said Barry. "I guess I'll see you around."

Crystal was about to close the door until Barry talked gain.

"Hey, uh, do you maybe wanna... I don't know... grab a cup of coffee or something?" asked Barry.

"Are you asking me on a date, Mr. Allen?" asked Crystal.

"N-no," said Barry. "Just... a cup of coffee between neighbors. Nothing wrong with that, right?"

Crystal thinks for a moment. She says, "How does noon sound?"

"Sounds good. I don't really have a lot to do today," said Barry.

"See you later," said Crystal.

Barry walks back home, while Crystal watches him walk away. A smile pops on her face as she slowly closed the door.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Central City, the Rogues were operating in an old toy factory, which was filled with weapons, toys tricked out to be weapons, some technology, mirrors, and mattresses for sleeping. Their peace was interrupted when two speedsters arrived at the scene.

"Hey, guys," greeted Kid Flash.

"How did you find us?" asked Top.

"We heard a boom," answered Kid Flash.

The Rogues glared at Trickster. He simply smiled and waved nervously.

"My bad," said Trickster.

The two speedsters wasted no time trying to round them up. Rainbow Raider is the first to be knocked out, having been slammed to an oil drum by Jesse Quick. Kid Flash smashed all mirrors to keep Mirror Master from going anywhere before knocking him out. That just leaves Top, Trickster, Axel, and Golden Glider.

Golden Glider picks up her gun and started firing. The speedsters dodged her blast. One blast ended up gluing Top's legs to a wall. Axel was about to throw a teddy bear with a bomb in it, but one missed gold blast knocks it out of his hand and glues it to the wall behind him. It blows up, blowing Axel away and leaving a hole on the side of the factory.

"Guess it's time to try out my new toy," said Trickster.

Trickster takes out what appears to be a big gun. He fires. The gun releases some sort of disc. When it hit the floor, it unleashes electricity that hits both speedsters, causing them to fall down in pain.

"It's attracted to kinetic energy," explained Trickster, laughing.

Golden Glider was about to turn both speedsters into golden statues, until Kid Flash fights the shocking and destroys the disc with a vibrating punch. He knocks Golden Glider to the wall and uses her Gold Gun to turn Trickster's weapon into solid gold.

"Hey, I just completed this yesterday," complained Trickster.

Jesse Quick quickly tackles Trickster and knocks him out.

Kid Flash and Jesse Quick approached each other and hi-fived with both hands high in the air.

"Five months and we finally nabbed them," cheered Jesse Quick.

"It's not over yet," said Kid Flash. "Let's get these guys to KCPD."

Suddenly, a streak of white lightning shows up and knocks both speedster down on their backs. It was Savitar.

"I don't think so," he said.

Kid Flash and Jesse Quick get up and engage the God of Speed. However, their punches barely do anything and they both get swat aside like they're just a couple of pesky mosquitoes.

"You're both still green," commented Savitar.

"Watch us," replied Jesse Quick.

Jesse Quick runs towards Savitar, only to get quickly snatched up by the neck.

"Not fast enough, Jesse," said Savitar. "You're never going to be as fast as I am."

Kid Flash runs towards Savitar and punches him in the head from behind, making him drop Jesse Quick. Kid Flash speed-punches Savitar from head to stomach, but Savitar shakes it off and punches Wally towards a wall.

"I could kill you both, but it's not the time yet," said Savitar. "I would suggest you leave this instant and prepare for the inevitable."

"We're not running away," said Jesse Quick.

Kid Flash approaches Jesse Quick and says, "It's not worth it. He's too fast, too strong. We're not ready."

Kid Flash takes Jesse Quick out of the factory, leaving Savitar alone with the Rogues. Those who are unconscious were beginning to wake up.

Some of the Rogues recognize the Speedster.

"Who are you?" asked Top.

"It is I, Savitar, the God of Speed," answered the speedster.

"Like we haven't had enough of you," complained Axel.

"I am not here to kill you," said Savitar. "I am here to make you an offer."

"What offer?" asked Golden Glider.

"My ascension is at hand. I only need to make sure that the Flash and his allies don't interfere," said Savitar.

"And what makes you think we'll help you?" asked Golden Glider.

"Because once I become a god, I can spread chaos to the entire world," said Savitar. "Does that not interest you?"

"I'm listening," said Golden Glider with a smirk.

* * *

At a cafe in Keystone, Crystal was sitting by herself, waiting for a certain someone to show up. She looks at her watch and sees that it's five minutes past noon. Finally, Barry arrived. After ordering himself a cup of coffee, he sits down with Crystal.

"Sorry I'm late," apologized Barry.

"That's okay," said Crystal. "It happens."

"With me, it's pretty much almost all the time," admitted Barry.

Crystal chuckled in response.

"So, uh, what brings you to Keystone?" asked Barry.

"A change of scenery," answered Crystal. "Hub City is a bit too rough for me. I heard Keystone is now the sunniest town around since Central City went to hell. So, here I am."

"Made any new friends lately?" asked Barry.

"The only person I've met since moving into town is you," said Crystal.

Barry finally gets the cup of coffee he ordered. As he drank, Crystal's smile dropped as she stared at him.

"Something wrong?" asked Barry.

"Mr. A... Barry... you called me Caitlin when we first met. I did some research and I found something," said Crystal. "Caitlin Snow, a.k.a. Killer Frost, a metahuman who was responsible for the destruction of Central City. I checked the pictures on her Facebook profile. I can see why you mistook me for her."

"She was, uh, a good friend of mine," said Barry

"A good friend who murdered the woman you love," said Crystal. "I also did some research on you. I can see a lot of pictures of you and someone called... Iris West."

Barry hangs his head in sadness at the sound of his deceased girlfriend.

Crystal puts her hand on Barry's and says, "I'm really sorry. But, Barry, I'm not her. I may look like her, but I'm not her."

"I know. I know," said Barry.

"Is this why you asked to have coffee with me? You think seeing me might help you cope with your grief?" asked Crystal.

Barry buries face in his hands for a moment before facing Crystal again. "Look, Crystal, I'm sorry. It's just that... my friends and family are trying to get me back out there. When I tried, I let my past get in my way. So... yeah... I thought seeing you might help."

"Look, Barry, I'm not mad," said Crystal. "I just don't like being used."

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry," apologized Barry, feeling bad and embarrassed. "I understand if you want me to drink somewhere else."

"No, don't go," said Crystal. "I can't pretend to understand how you feel. You had a friend who killed the love of your life. The only thing I can understand is that is a traumatizing event. Lucky for you, I'm a psychologist. I can help you."

"Do you really want to help me?" asked Barry.

"We're neighbors, Barry," said Crystal. "If we're gonna be living next to each other, we might as well spend some time together."

"That would be nice," said Barry.

"After we're done drinking our coffee, we're heading to Keystone Park for some fresh air," said Crystal.

 **The "walk in the park" part will have to wait until the next chapter. I hope this was still good.**


	3. Therapy Session

**Here's the new chapter. Hope you enjoy it.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to jessicabiggs16, Master Skywalker 121, romario. hume, TheLifeStruggleIsReal, Clash of the Legends, Dark Suspense, Darkness032, and Guest for reviewing the previous chapter.**

At Keystone Park, Barry just sat down on the fountain while he waited for Crystal. After they had coffee, she told him to wait for her at park. Barry waited for nearly half an hour until Crystal finally arrived. Barry was surprised to see how she looked now.

The shopping bag in her hand makes it obvious that Crystal went clothes shopping. She was now wearing a light blue top, a dark blue jacket, and blue jeans. She head a white wig in her other hand. She sits down next to him and puts the wig on.

"Uh, why are you wearing all that?" asked Barry, confused.

"It's part of our therapy session," said Crystal. "I'm guessing this look gives you nightmares."

"Every night," said Barry.

"I'm sorry, Barry, but I've never encountered a patient with your case," said Crystal. "I've met a lot of people suffering from you grief, but you, you meet someone who looks a lot like the person who killed the love of your life and clearly, it's affecting you mentally and emotionally in a negative way."

"So, you think dressing up like Killer Frost is gonna help me?" asked Barry.

"This is the only way I know how to help someone with your case, Barry," said Crystal. "I could your help, though. Tell me. What's Killer Frost like? How does she talk? How does she behave?"

"She's, well, cold, no pun intended," said Barry. "She's aggressive, violent, and has a pretty dark sense of humor. If anyone bugs her, she threatens to hurt or kill you."

"Okay, and what's Caitlin Snow like?" asked Crystal.

"She can be cold at times, but she's nice, gentle, caring," answered Barry, smiling as he thinks about his old friend.

"You really miss her, don't you?" asked Crystal, noticing the look on his face.

"In spite of everything she did, she was still my friend," said Barry, hanging his head in sorrow.

"Another question. Does she suffer from split personality disorder?" asked Crystal.

"I don't think so," said Barry. "According to an old friend, her powers amplify her fears and rage. When she became Killer Frost, her deepest darkest feelings came to the surface. I didn't want to believe it at first, but... I could see the anger in Killer Frost that I could see in Caitlin."

"So, basically, Caitlin Snow and Killer Frost are one and the same?" asked Crystal.

"More or less," answered Barry. "Why are you asking me all this?"

"Because we're gonna do a bit of role-playing," said Crystal. "I'm gonna pretend to be Caitlin. Just play along."

"What? No script?" asked Barry.

"No script," said Crystal.

"I'm not really sure about this, Crystal," said Barry.

"Who's Crystal? My name is Caitlin," said Crystal.

Barry was confused at first, but quickly realized that she was acting.

"So, uh, why are you here, Caitlin?" started Barry, trying to act. "I thought you'd be out killing some innocent people right now. You love that, don't you?"

"Well, maybe I just wanted to see an old friend," said Crystal, trying to sound as gentle as she can, although her tone makes it obvious that she feels disgusted by what Barry said.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you. Killer Frost likes killing," said Barry. "I'm sorry if that sounds disgusting."

All of a sudden, Crystal grabs Barry by the shirt and pulls him closer, allowing him to see her angry face up close.

"Don't you say that about me," said Crystal.

Barry sees that she wasn't going to break character no matter what he says.

"Sorry, I just... isn't that why you're called Killer Frost?" continued Barry.

"Maybe, but I'm no animal," said Crystal. "I'm still human, Barry. Don't you see that?"

"I've always seen that, Crys... Caitlin," said Barry. "I've been trying to bring you back, but you keep running away. Why come back now?"

"Maybe it's because I missed you," said Crystal, letting go of Barry.

"All the violence. All the bloodshed. You're just going to give that up?" questioned Barry.

"I just don't know if that's what I really want," said Crystal sadly, trying to sound like she feels guilty of her actions. "Everything I've done, I thought it's what I wanted, but I've been thinking. What good is there to be a villain if I'm all alone?"

"You're never gonna be alone, Cait," said Barry.

"How can you be so forgiving after I killed Iris?" asked Crystal.

Barry was very surprised by what she said. He looks away from her.

"I'm... sorry for reminding you, Barry," said Crystal. "But do you really still see me as a friend after everything I've done?"

Barry could tell that she was still in character. Instead of letting flashbacks of Iris haunt him, he chose to continue playing along.

"No matter what, you are always Caitlin Snow, my best friend," said Barry, looking at Crystal. "Underneath all that cold, you're still you. What happened to Iris is not on you. It's on Killer Frost, and she's not who you are."

"Don't make me freeze you to death, Allen," threatened Crystal playfully.

Barry smiled and laughed a little. The way she said those words sounded almost exactly like how Caitlin would say it.

"What's so funny, Barry?" asked Crystal.

"I'm just glad to see you," said Barry.

Crystal takes off the wig and gives Barry a hug. Barry was confused again.

"I hate to ruin the moment, but what's the point of this?" asked Barry.

"Answer this. Did Killer Frost kill Iris in front of you?" asked Crystal.

"Yeah, how did you know?" replied Barry.

"The nightmares. Lack of sleep. Not talking to anyone, not even your family. I've seen this before with people handling grief, but you, this is worse," said Caitlin. "It only makes sense that you didn't hear about her death. You've seen it. You were there when it happened."

Barry hangs his in sadness as he relives that memory again.

"I don't mean to hurt you, Barry," said Crystal, holding his hand. "I just thought that... since you were haunted by that memory, I thought that reminding you of who Caitlin once was would help. When you think of her, you think of her as the monster who murdered someone you loved. So, I thought that if we did 'this', when you think about her, you will remember her as the friend you loved, and maybe, just maybe, it would help you stop reliving that horrific moment."

Barry didn't say a word, but he looked at Crystal.

"I hope I didn't make things worse," said Crystal. "I really want to help you, Barry, but, again, this is different from any grief-related case I've dealt with."

"Maybe it's best we don't see each other again," said Barry.

"No, Barry," said Crystal. "You pushed your adoptive father away. You pushed your friends away. That's not how you cope with grief. You told me that Joe West pushed his girlfriend, Cecile, away. Who's to say he didn't do that because you weren't there for him?"

Barry looks away from Crystal again.

"I'm not sure if I can help you, Barry, but I am trying my best," said Crystal.

Barry didn't say a word.

"Maybe I should just get out of your hair for now," said Crystal.

Crystal takes out her phone, turns on a certain app, and then taps Barry's phone with hers. Barry looks at his phone and sees that he has Crystal's phone number.

"Call me if you want to see me again for another session," said Crystal.

Crystal grabs her things and walks away, leaving Barry to stare into his phone, wondering if he should delete it or keep it in case he wants to see her again.

* * *

Back at Joe's new house, Jesse was sitting on the couch with her arms crossed. She couldn't stop thinking about her recent encounter with Savitar. She didn't want to run away, but Wally insisted they should.

Wally sits down next to Jesse with a bowl of popcorn in his hands.

"Hey, we couldn't have won that fight," said Wally.

"Since when are you pessimistic?" asked Jesse.

"I'm not being pessimistic. I'm just being realistic," said Wally. "Savitar is the God of Speed, the first speedster in history. Jay said that he's been running for centuries. I may welcome any challenge, but I know when to not get cocky."

"But Barry's not in shape to fight him either," said Jesse.

"He'll get there," said Wally optimistically.

"But what if he can't?" asked Jesse.

"Don't think like that," said Wally.

"Wally, he's taking Iris' death too hard," said Jesse. "He's only talking to us again just because he's rejoining Team Flash to stop Savitar. Outside the team, he's still the same mess."

"He just needs someone to remind him that he's not alone," said Wally.

"Yeah, but unlike him, we're not pushing each other away," said Jesse. "When dad died, you didn't leave my side. When Iris died, I didn't leave your side."

"Barry just needs to find a reason to get back and fight, other than guilt," said Wally. "Feeling responsible for Savitar shouldn't be why he wants to get back out there."

"What should it be then?" asked Jesse.

"He just needs someone by his side," said Wally, putting one arm around Jesse, pulling her close.

Jesse smiles in response. She leans closer and gives Wally a kiss on the lips.

"I love you," said Jesse.

"I love you, too," said Wally. "So, mind if we rest and relax for a while?"

"We just got our butts kicked, so I guess this really all we can do now," said Jesse.

Wally picks up the remote and turns on the TV. Wally and Jesse kept each other close as they eat and watch.

 **I hope this was worth the wait. Leave a review and let me know what you think about this chapter.**


	4. The Man Under The Cowl

**Enjoy the new chapter.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to romario. hume, Steve993, jessicabiggs16, NeoTyson, and Darkness032 for reviewing the previous chapter.**

 ** _To romario. hume:_ Please be patient. I don't want to rush anything unless I have to.**

 ** _To Steve993:_ Thanks again. I always think of myself as an amateur writer, but you help make me feel otherwise.**

 ** _To Darkness032:_ I understand your stand on Barry's character during Season 3 and Season 3 in general. I don't have to disagree. I just want to tell you that even though this is a FanFiction story, I'm trying to stay close to canon, trying to make sure everyone is in character, more or less. We've all seen how Iris' death has affected Barry (Flash 3x19), and that's the Barry you're reading in this story. His recovery has to take time. As for Crystal Frost, all I can say is... just be patient. Nice for you to share your theories, though.**

It was almost closing time in Mercury Labs. Dr. McGee was talking with one scientist about their energy project when all of a sudden, the alarms go off. Security immediately head to the floor where the trigger originated. McGee followed the guards to a lab on the top floor. They saw someone.

"Hey, you! Stop it right there!" yelled a guard.

The intruder turned around for a moment before running away. McGee caught a glimpse of the intruder's face and was surprised.

"Dr. Snow?" she wondered.

* * *

The next morning, Joe and Cisco arrived at Mercury Labs as soon as Dr. McGee called. She takes them to the lab that was robbed last night.

"So, what happened here?" asked Joe.

"Someone stole the power source of this power generator," said McGee, pointing at said generator.

"I worked really hard on that," complained Cisco.

"Who stole it?" asked Joe.

"Security cameras were disabled when the robber broke in, but I manage to get a glimpse of her face," said McGee. "I didn't think it was possible, but the person who broke in here was... Caitlin Snow."

Joe and Cisco were both shocked.

"But Caitlin's dead," said Cisco. "Her body was destroyed."

"I know it sounds impossible, but I know who I saw," said McGee.

"Look, no matter how crazy this is, we're gonna look into it," promised Joe.

"Thank you," said McGee.

McGee leaves the lab to allow Joe and Cisco to have a look around.

"I'm getting a serious case of deja vu," said Joe.

"You're talking about Harry, right?" asked Cisco.

"Yup," said Joe.

"Should we call Barry?" asked Cisco. "I mean I know he's not a CSI anymore, but he's good at it."

"No, we can't tell Barry," said Joe. "We both know he's trying to become the Flash again. He can run, but his head's not clear. Once he hears that Caitlin is alive..."

"I hear you," said Cisco, agreeing to keep this a secret from Barry.

* * *

In the Rogues' warehouse in Central City, Lisa was making some tweaks to her Gold Gun.

"Are you sure we have to work with this Speed God?" questioned Bivolo.

"I don't trust him 100%, but I do see the positives in our partnership with him," said Lisa.

"He's a speedster. Why does he need us?" wondered Axel.

"The Flash is a speedster, but he doesn't work alone. He has a team," said Lisa.

"Let's not be so skeptical, people. A new friend is a new friend," said Jesse.

"Axel's right," said Scudder. "This job he's asking us to do. It's a simple kidnapping. He can just do it himself. Why ask us?"

"Because this person cannot know of me."

The Rogues turn around and see Savitar in the room.

"Just remember. I need her alive," said Savitar.

"Is this Crystal Frost even dangerous?" asked Lisa.

"I don't know. That's why I need to know," said Savitar. "Physical harm is welcome, but I want her heart beating when she is brought here."

"And if it's not?" asked Bivolo.

Savitar runs towards Bivolo and grabs him by the neck, lifting him off the floor.

"Do not disobey me," threatened Savitar.

Savitar drops Bivolo. While Bivolo tries to recover from the choking, Savitar approaches Lisa.

"I must warn you. Once you see Crystal Frost, you will hesitate. Don't," said Savitar.

Savitar leaves the warehouse.

* * *

At the West family house, Barry was sitting down on the couch, staring at his phone. His phone was set to contact Crystal Frost. All Barry needs to do is push the "call" button. Suddenly, someone knocks on the door. Barry answers the door and sees Cecile.

"Hey, Cecile," greeted Barry.

"Hey, Barry," greeted Cecile. "You cut your hair."

"I'm trying to get myself back out there," said Barry.

"How are you?" asked Cecile.

"I'm working on it," said Barry. "Did you come to see Joe?"

"Yeah, I am," said Cecile. "He usually comes back for lunch and I wanna be here when he's back."

Barry lets Cecile in.

"Uh, Cecile, I need some advice," said Barry.

"About what?" asked Cecile.

"I... uh... I met someone," said Barry.

"Barry, that's wonderful," said Cecile with a smile.

"No. No. It's not like that," said Barry. "She's a psychologist and she's been trying to help me. But... I'm having a hard time accepting her help."

"It sounds like this is more than just professional," said Cecile.

"I guess you can say she's trying to make a connection with me," said Barry.

"And, let me guess, you're pushing her away," guessed Cecile.

Barry hanging his head to avoid eye contact confirms Cecile's guess.

"Barry, you can't keep pushing people away," said Cecile.

"I know, and I'm trying," said Barry.

"But you're not trying hard enough," said Cecile.

Barry sits down on the couch. Cecile sits down as well.

"What's her name?" asked Cecile.

"Crystal," answered Barry.

"Pretty name," said Cecile. "What's she like?"

"She's... kind, understanding, and pretty creative," said Barry. "She... dressed up like Killer Frost to help me."

"And how does that help?" asked a confused Cecile.

"She thinks that if I stop thinking about Caitlin as the one who killed Iris, I might finally be at peace with it," said Barry.

"Well, she's not wrong," said Cecile. "I may not have known Caitlin like you do, but Joe told me that she was like family to you. You tried to save her because she was your friend. I understand that."

"But after... Iris... I almost gave up," said Barry.

"Barry, when people try to help you, you allow them," said Cecile. "You say you want to get back out there. If Crystal wants to help, then you have to give her another chance. What would Iris want you to do?"

Barry looks at Cecile and says, "She would want me to become the Flash again."

"Then you know what you have to do," said Cecile.

"But... I don't know if she can really help me... I mean, all of me," said Barry. "She knows why Barry Allen is suffering, but the Flash is another part of me I need to fix. Even if she can help the man under the cowl, it won't be enough."

"Maybe you should tell her," suggested Cecile.

"I don't know if I can trust her," said Barry.

"You're the only one in this room who knows her. Only you know if she can be trusted," said Cecile.

Before more words can be spoken, someone came in through the front door. It was Joe. Barry now feels awkward being in same room with his surrogate father and his ex-girlfriend. He whistles as he slowly walks upstairs, trying to escape the awkward atmosphere.

* * *

At the cafe, Crystal was having a cup of coffee and checking on the list of patients she has to help today. Unbeknownst to her, Barry was watching her from afar. He has been thinking about what Cecile told him. He needed to be in top shape to face Savitar. Even if he can run as fast as before, he needs to be mentally ready, and constantly thinking about Iris' death is not helping him.

Crystal finishes her coffee and leaves the cafe. After she walked out of the door, her phone rings. Barry was calling.

She answered the call. "Hello?"

 _"Hey," greeted Barry. "Listen, I know things were a bit rough between us last time, but... I wanna try again."_

"You really want to?" asked Crystal.

 _"I need you," said Barry._

"Well, I have a full day ahead of me," said Crystal. "How's tomorrow morning sound?"

 _"Sounds good," said Barry._

"Well, I'll see you then," said Crystal.

* * *

After her shift at the hospital was over, Crystal returns home. She heads to her room and takes out a little box from her drawer. Inside the box is the power source she stole from Mercury Labs. She heads into her walk-in closet and enters the secret door. Inside the door is a small metallic box. She opens it and places the power source inside. The box glows, thanks to the power source.

Suddenly, Crystal heard noises downstairs. She immediately locks her secret door. She opens another drawer. It had a gun inside. She picks it up and heads downstairs.

"Whoever you are, get out," she said.

She walks slowly with her gun raised. When she walks into the kitchen, she sees someone opening the fridge.

"Hands up!" she shouted.

The intruder puts her hands in the air. She turns around, revealing herself as Lisa Snart. At first sight of the woman with the gun, she was shocked.

"You look surprised," said Crystal.

"I can see why my partner warned me about you. You look just like someone I know," said Lisa.

"Let me guess, you knew Caitlin Snow, too," guessed Crystal.

"She was a friend," said Lisa.

"Did she teach you to break into other people's home and steal their food?" asked Crystal sarcastically.

Lisa laughed a little. "You even sound like her."

"Don't move," threatened Crystal.

Suddenly, someone grabs her by the neck and takes the gun away from her. It was Sam Scudder. Rosa Dillon walks in front of Crystal and attempts to use her Vertigo-inducing stare. Crystal, however, closes her eyes. Scudder was about to open her eyes. Suddenly, Crystal elbows Scudder in the gut and then kicks Rosa in the stomach. She slams Scudder's face to the wall and trips Top by kicking her in the calf. Lisa picks up her Gold Gun, but Crystal grabs her arm.

Suddenly, Lisa feels her arm freezing, causing her to shout in pain and drop her gun. She looks at Crystal with shock.

"You're... you're..." Lisa didn't know what to say.

"Nice to see you, too, Snart," said Crystal.

While Crystal picks up her gun, Lisa taps into her earpiece and says, "Trickster, you're good to go."

A little ball breaks into the window. It lands right at Crystal's feet and detonates. It releases sleeping gas. Crystal faints and falls asleep.

 _"Mission accomplished," said Trickster._

Sam and Rosa were about to pick up Crystal. Suddenly, Flash, Kid Flash, and Jesse Quick showed up.

"Next time, pick a van that looks less conspicuous," joked Flash. "Maybe one that doesn't have Trickster's face on the side."

"There's that sense of humor," said Kid Flash with a smile.

The three speedsters immediately incapacitate the Rogues and tie them up with anything they can find, whether it's duck tape, wire, or rope. Crystal started waking up as the three speedsters return inside. Kid Flash and Jesse Quick were shocked to see her face. Flash gestured them to stand back.

Flash walks towards Crystal and helps her stand up.

"Thank you," said Crystal.

"Couldn't just leave you alone. Like I said, I need you," said Flash.

"What?" asked Crystal, confused.

Flash takes off his cowl and reveals to Crystal who he really is. It's safe to say she was surprised.

"Hi," greeted Barry with a smile.

"Wow," muttered a surprised Crystal.

While Barry and Crystal exchange smiles, Kid Flash and Jesse Quick look at each other with confusion.

 **Wally and Jesse now know about Crystal. How will they take it? Will more of Team Flash find out about Crystal? Stay tuned and find out.**


	5. Same Face, Different Person

**You might get a sense of deja vu in this chapter, but that is my intent. Anyways, enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Thanks to Steve993, Darkness032, jessicabiggs16, NeoTyson, romario. hume, and Guest for reviewing the previous chapter.**

At Team Flash's HQ in Mercury Labs, the team was standing with confused looks on their faces as they lay eyes upon Barry's guest, who bears a striking resemblance to the late Caitlin Snow. Barry looks back and forth between Crystal and his friends awkwardly, while Crystal reads a biochemistry paper from college written by Caitlin Snow

"Caitlin Snow is truly an intelligent individual. She dug deep into every single detail on this research," said Crystal, sounding impressed.

Barry decided to end the awkwardness by introducing his guest.

"Cisco Ramon, Wally West, Jesse Wells, H.R., meet Dr. Crystal Frost," said Barry.

"Hey," greeted Cisco.

"Hey," greeted Crystal with an awkward smile.

Cisco looks at Barry and says, "So, let me get this straight, she's not really a Caitlin from another Earth. She's just a lookalike, as in she's the Isla Fisher to Caitlin's Amy Adams?"

"Pretty much, yeah," replied Barry.

"Another Earth?" asked a confused Crystal.

"It's a long story," said Barry.

"So, Barry, anything you're not telling us?" asked Jesse.

"You guys know I have to get my mind straight to face Savitar, and I can't do that without some help, so... I asked Crystal here to help me," said Barry. "She's a psychologist."

"Are you sure she is who she says she is?" asked Wally.

"C'mon, guys, we don't need this kind of paranoia," said H.R. "If she wants to help the Flash, then let her help."

"H.R., can you take a good look at her," said Jesse, pointing at Crystal.

"Okay, so she looks like our once dear Caitlin, but lookalikes are common pretty much anywhere," said H.R.

Crystal whispers to Barry, "That guy looks like Harrison Wells. I thought he was dead."

"He is Harrison Wells, just not the Harrison Wells of this Earth," said Barry. "Again, long story."

"Ahem!" coughed Cisco.

Barry and Crystal look back at the rest of Team Flash.

"Are you sure we can trust her with all this?" asked Cisco.

"I won't tell anyone. I promise," said Crystal. "Doctor-patient confidentiality."

"Hundreds of psychologists in this city and you run to the one who looks like the one who killed Iris," said Wally to Barry.

"I understand that seeing me is difficult for all of you, considering what 'she' did," said Crystal. "But I mean you no harm. I only want to help Barry, plain and simple."

"Last time we trusted someone with your face, a lot of bad things happened," said Jesse.

"We lost people we love," said Wally.

"Tragedy is a part of life, Mr. West," said Crystal. "Take it from someone who's experienced loss herself. If you can't move on, you're only gonna hurt yourself."

With everyone focused on Crystal, no one notices Joe entering the lab. At first sight of Crystal, he takes out his gun and started shooting at her. Three bullets were making their way towards Crystal. Barry uses his super speed to catch all the bullets before they hit Crystal.

"Joe, put the gun down," asked Barry.

Joe was angrily walking towards Crystal, and Barry tried to keep him back.

"How is she still alive?" asked Joe. He then asks Crystal, "How are you still alive?"

"Obviously, you missed," said Crystal with sarcasm.

Barry tells Crystal, "Hey, I'm trying to keep him from shooting you. You're not helping." Suddenly, he realizes the familiarity of this situation. "Is anyone else getting a feeling of deja vu?"

"I am," said Cisco.

Barry takes Joe out of the lab so they can talk in peace.

Cisco, Wally, and Jesse continue to glare at Crystal, who was currently sight-seeing.

"Is this vulcanized teflon?" asked Crystal, staring at Barry's suit with awe.

"This isn't happening," said Cisco, refusing to believe what he is seeing and hearing.

* * *

Outside the lab...

"I know this is a lot to take in, but the person in that room, it's not Caitlin," said Barry.

"Dr. McGee swore she saw Caitlin Snow. She broke in here a few days ago," said Joe.

"What?" asked Barry, shocked. "Then why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't believe her. I didn't even want to consider Caitlin was alive," said Joe. He then realizes the familiarity of this conversation. "Okay, now I'm getting a sense of deja vu."

"Paulson destroyed Caitlin's body. The person in there, she's someone else," said Barry. "She's a psychologist. She can help me."

"How can you even look at her?" asked Joe.

"You think this is easy for me? The girl in there looks, moves, sounds exactly like the girl who drove a shard of ice through Iris' heart. I have to resist the urge to kill her," replied Barry. "I'm trying my best to get past that. You shooting her, that's not helping."

"She still has some explaining to do," said Joe. "I'll go get Dr. McGee. Make sure she doesn't leave."

* * *

Back in the lab, Crystal was admiring all the equipment in the medical bay. The rest of Team Flash, minus H.R., continue to glare at her. Crystal, however, ignored them.

"Enjoying yourself?" asked H.R.

"All this technology is amazing," said Crystal.

"You should've seen S.T.A.R. Labs. The tech in that place was sweet," said H.R. "Too bad it's gone now."

"I'm sorry," apologized Crystal.

"Hey, it's okay. I know it's not you who blew it up," said H.R.

"When I was doing my research on Barry, I read that Harrison Wells is the man who murdered his mother," said Crystal. "How did he take seeing you?"

"Actually, I'm only the third Harrison Wells they knew," said H.R. "The paranoia was already exhausted on the second Harrison Wells. We called him 'Harry'. May his soul rest in peace."

Joe returns to the lab with Tina McGee. When she saw the woman identical to Caitlin Snow, McGee was certainly shocked.

"Dr. McGee, it's an honor to meet you," said Crystal enthusiastically, holding out her hand.

"Um, thank you," said a confused McGee, shaking the young woman's hand.

"Oh, excuse me. I haven't introduced myself. I'm Crystal Frost," said Crystal. "I'm a psychologist working at the Keystone Lincoln Hospital."

"Let's cut to the chase," interrupted Joe. "You broke in here and stole a power source for a generator. Why?"

Crystal looked shocked when Joe asked.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" asked Crystal, trying to act innocent.

"I saw you that night," said McGee.

Crystal avoids eye contact as she sits down on a chair.

"If you want to walk out of this lab, you have to tell us," said Joe. "And don't lie."

"Joe, please, take it easy," pleaded Barry.

Barry walks towards Crystal and tells her, "Look, whatever it is you're hiding, you can tell us."

"Aren't you supposed to be mad that I'm a thief?" asked Crystal.

"Just tell me the truth. That's all I'm asking," said Barry.

Crystal looks at the rest and begins. "I'm not just a psychologist. Before I came here to Keystone, I lived in Hub City. During the day, I work as a psychiatrist. During the night, I..."

"Fight crime?" asked Cisco.

"You could say that," said Crystal. "Hub City is a rough town. There's crime in the streets. Crime within the legal system. I thought I'd do something about it. I spend my nights looking up on the worst of Hub City. I sell any piece of information

"What does this have to do with the tech you stole?" asked McGee.

"To do this job, I had to get my hands dirty," continued Crystal. "To survive on the field, I had to learn a lot of things. Engineering. Computer science. Weaponry."

"You stole the power source to build a weapon?" guessed Joe.

"A device that can neutralize... speedsters," confessed Crystal.

The speedsters in the room were the most shocked by this revelation.

"I didn't even know Barry was the Flash yet," said Crystal. "Now that you know what I do, you can tell why I had to take precautions. I didn't think Flash or his sidekicks would approve of my methods."

"Did you just call us sidekicks?" asked Wally.

"Sorry. I meant... partners," said Crystal.

"If you learned to tinker, why didn't you just build a power source of your own?" asked Cisco.

The three speedsters glared at Cisco.

"I wasn't saying she should've built an anti-speedster weapon. I'm just asking," said Cisco.

"It's not that simple, Mr. Ramon. My specialty is the human brain and human emotion. I'm not that skilled in inventing, so I, uh... hacked... into Mercury Labs' system and learned about their new and advanced power source," said Crystal. "It has an insane amount of power, which is what I needed to power the device."

"Well, we'd like it back, thank you," said Cisco.

"Actually, I think we should let her keep it," said Barry.

"What?" asked everyone in the room, minus Crystal.

"You heard her. The device neutralizes speedsters," reminded Barry. "And Savitar is a speedster."

Cisco looks at Dr. McGee, asking if she would allow it.

"Well, if it's that important, I don't see why not," said McGee. "I suppose another six months in the lab can't hurt."

"Great," complained Cisco.

"So, am I still getting arrested?" asked Crystal.

Joe sighs before saying, "If this device can help us, then I suppose we can let you off the hook."

"But what are we gonna tell the rest of the staff?" asked McGee.

"I'm sure we can come up with something," said Cisco.

"So, that's it?" asked Jesse. "We're just gonna welcome her to the team just like that?"

"Well, Barry did reveal his secret identity to her, so keeping her here is how we can keep an eye on her," said Cisco.

"We're not just gonna force her to join us. She has to make that choice," said Barry. "So, Crystal, what do you say? Do you wanna be a part of Team Flash?"

"I'll think about it," said Crystal. "Right now, I just want to help you."

"By the way, where's the device?" asked Wally.

"Can't tell you that," said Crystal. "I'd rather keep it with me until further notice."

"Okay, Ms. Frost, before you go, we're gonna need to run a few tests on you, just to be sure," said Cisco.

"Be my guest," said Crystal.

Crystal follows Cisco and Jesse to the medical bay for a checkup.

"I can't believe this is happening," said Joe.

"Well, it is," said Barry. "I know seeing someone who looks like Caitlin is hard, but I need her."

"It's Harrison Wells all over again," commented Joe.

"Except she's not a doppelganger from another Earth," added Barry.

Joe gets a call from his phone. When he answered and listened, he had a worried look on his face.

"Is something wrong?" asked Barry.

"The Rogues escaped," said Joe. "Probably heading back to Central City right now."

"One problem at a time," said Barry.

"I'm gonna go fill in Cecile," said Joe.

"By the way, how was your little chat yesterday?" asked Barry.

"Nothing happened," answered Joe.

"You're still not talking to her?" asked Barry, surprised.

"Barry, I'm not ready yet," said Joe.

"But you love her," said Barry.

"I... I never even told her that yet," said Joe.

"Look, Joe, when Crystal and I were having our therapy session, I told her about what's happened between you and me since Iris died," said Barry. "She thinks I'm the reason you pushed Cecile away, because I wasn't there for you. Well, I'm here for you now. Don't just tell her about Crystal. Talk to her, and I mean really talk to her. I know that losing Iris is the worst thing that ever happened in your life. Believe me, I know how you feel. But Crystal said that if we can't move on, we're only gonna hurt ourselves. Haven't you ever wondered about how Cecile feels after you pushed her away?"

"Yeah, listen to B.A., Joe. You can't just throw away love. Iris wouldn't want you to," said H.R.

Joe walks away and leaves Mercury Labs, but he couldn't get Barry and H.R.'s words out of his head.

* * *

At the Rogues' warehouse in Central City...

Savitar grabs Bivolo by the neck and holds him against a wall.

"A simple kidnapping and you fail!" yelled Savitar.

"Hey, they messed up, not me," said Bivolo, pointing at his fellow Rogues.

Savitar throws Bivolo towards a pile of oil drums.

"Are you gonna kill us?" asked Rosa, hiding behind her lover.

"Your failure has shown your incompetence, but fortunately for you, I may still have use for you," said Savitar. "Pray you don't disappoint me again."

Savitar leaves the warehouse.

"Well, at least we're still breathing," said Scudder.

"And we're still in business with him. Goody. He's quite a fellow," said James. "And that suit of armor. Sick."

Lisa, meanwhile, was in her quarters. She was looking at her bandaged-up wrist. She couldn't stop thinking about the person who injured it.

"How is it possible?" she wondered.

 **I admit. It's not my best work, but I hope you're satisfied with learning more about Crystal Frost.**


	6. Tracy Brand

**This chapter will be similar to 3x20, but with some changes.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to jessicabiggs16, NeoTyson, godspeed 251, and Steve993 for reviewing the previous chapter.**

Crystal was in Team Flash's HQ in Mercury Labs, using a computer, doing research on Caitlin Snow while listening to "Young and In Love" by Jordin Sparks. Cisco comes in and didn't look pleased to see her.

"Hey, Ms. Frost?" called Cisco, raising his voice so she can hear her. "Can you turn that down, please?"

Crystal lowers the volume as Cisco walks into the room.

"Come inside. Use my workroom. Use my computer. I don't care," said Cisco sarcastically.

"Thank you," replied Crystal nonchalantly.

"Caitlin wasn't really a fan of Jordin Sparks. Nice to know you think different," said Cisco. Once again, he begins to see the familiarity of the scene. "Okay, seriously, when is all this deja vu going to stop?"

"Caitlin Snow was one messed up lost girl. Her actions were more than just cruel. They were atrocious," commented Crystal.

"She did a lot of terrible things. I just wish it really wasn't her," said Cisco with sadness in his tone.

Caitlin notices how Cisco feels and turns her attention to him.

"Okay, what did she do to you?" asked Crystal.

Cisco's stare tells her that he didn't understand what she was talking about.

"I know she killed the woman Barry loved, destroyed the city, et cetera, et cetera. What did she do to you?" asked Crytsal curiously. "You don't think I notice that you're trying to avoid eye contact. Guessing she did something that made it personal between you two. Please, tell me. Whatever it is, maybe I can help you."

Cisco didn't say a word. What he did is remove his gloves, showing Crystal his cybernetic hands. Crystal covers her open mouth with both her hands, horrified by this sight.

"She froze my hands off. She didn't even care," said Cisco.

"Oh my goodness," reacted Crystal. "I am so sorry."

"Don't be. You're not her," said Cisco, putting his gloves back on, hiding his hands.

"Barry told me you two were like brother and sister," said Crystal. "He also told me that everyone eventually gave up on her except for him. Is 'this' why you did?"

"Believe me, I didn't want to give up on her, but she kept showing us time and time again that she's not Caitlin anymore," said Cisco.

"Look, Mr. Ramon, you don't have to trust me if you don't want to," said Crystal, crossing her arms. "I just want to help Barry. Once he defeats Savitar, you'll never see me again."

"Uh, what are you doing here anyway?" asked Cisco. "I thought you didn't want to be part of Team Flash yet?"

"No, but I wanted to look around," said Crystal. "Seriously, all this tech is amazing. I can see why Dr. McGee was one of the top scientists in Central City."

Suddenly, an alarm shows up on the computer.

"What's happening?" asked Crystal.

Instead of answering Crystal, Cisco picks up his phone and calls Barry.

"Barry, break in at Keystone University," said Cisco.

* * *

At Keystone University, students and teachers were running for their lives. Flash shows up.

He asks a teacher, "What's happening?"

"Some woman with a gun that shoots gold," said the teacher. "She's at the chemistry lab."

Flash zooms to the chemistry lab, where he finds a young woman hiding behind a table to avoid getting hit by a gold beam, courtesy of Golden Glider. There also happens to be a metal bowl on fire, burning the papers inside it. Flash finds a fire extinguisher nearby and takes out the fire.

"Nice to see you again, Flash," said Golden Glider.

"Wish I can say 'feeling's mutual,'" replied Flash.

"Savitar said you'd show up," said Golden Glider. "He also said that Kid Flash and Jesse Quick won't be arriving until thirty seconds after you come."

Golden Glider takes out a hand-held switch and pushes the button, activating anti-speedster barriers that blocks the doors.

"What is going on here?" asked the woman hiding behind the table.

"Just come out and make this easy for you," said Golden Glider, raising her gun.

Flash zooms towards Golden Glider. She fires a gold blast. Flash dodges this by turning and leaning back. When his eyes look back at Golden Glider, he gets shot in the chest. Most of his mid-section is covered in gold, which weighs him down to the floor, causing him to land on his back.

"I wish I can kill you," said Golden Glider. "But luckily for you, I'm only here to kill her." She looks back at the woman hiding behind a desk.

Kid Flash and Jesse Quick arrive, but get shocked by the anti-speedster barriers, rendering them unconscious.

The woman Golden Glider is targeting picks up a fire extinguisher. She sprays Golden Glider with it, blinding her temporarily. While Flash attempts to vibrate out of the gold, Golden Glider kicks the woman towards a corner. Before Golden Glider can make the kill, she gets slammed to the wall by Flash. He takes her switch and pushes the red button, deactivating the barrier.

Kid Flash and Jesse Quick walk in, feeling a little dizzy from the shock.

"What did we miss?" asked Kid Flash.

"She tried to kill me," said the woman, pointing at Golden Glider.

Golden Glider taps into her earpiece and says, "I'm outnumbered."

All of a sudden, a streak of white lightning zooms in and takes Golden Glider out of the university.

"Savitar," said Flash, recognizing the lightning.

"Uh, thank you," said the woman.

"You're welcome, miss..." Flash paused, expecting her to introduce herself.

"Uh, T-Tracy Brand," said the woman.

"Why was that girl trying to kill you?" asked Jesse Quick.

"I don't know," said Tracy. "All she said is that her 'partner' wanted me dead."

"So Savitar wanted her dead," said Jesse Quick. "But why didn't he just kill her himself? He was just here."

"That's something we'll have to find out," said Flash.

Tracy picks up her work and leaves the lab.

"Again, thanks," said Tracy.

"Wait, we need to ask you some questions," said Barry.

"I'd love to talk, but my bus leaves in five minutes," said Tracy, walking out the door.

The three speedsters just stood and looked at the woman with confused faces.

"Someone might wanna tell Joe to keep an eye on her," said Flash.

"Yup," said Kid Flash and Jesse Quick simultaneously.

* * *

Back at Mercury Labs...

Team Flash look into the woman the Flash rescued at Keystone University. They open her picture and profile on the computer.

"Tracy Brand," started Barry. "Student at Keystone University. Straight A student. Has never gotten a grade lower than A+ in Science since Preschool."

"She's pretty," said H.R., staring at Tracy's picture while drinking coffee.

Everyone glares at H.R.

"What?" asked H.R.

"Okay, so we have a smart person who Savitar wants dead," said Cisco. "The question is why."

Before anyone can say another word, Joe walks into the lab.

"Did you learn anything?" asked Barry.

"Nothin'," said Joe. "I offered Ms. Brand police protection, but she rejected it."

"We have to keep an eye on her whether she wants it or not," said Barry. "If Savitar wants her dead, we have to protect her."

"Which brings up my previous question: Why didn't Savitar kill her himself?" wondered Jesse.

"Well, Golden Glider is apparently his pawn now," said Cisco. "Maybe he just wanted to see if she can get results out of her. I mean he did kinda let Caitlin do everything when he was planning Operation: Global Meta."

"Pardon?" asked Crystal, confused.

"Savitar was once planning to turn millions of people all over the world into metas," explained Wally.

"And how did he plan on doing that?" asked Crystal.

"With a relic called the Philosopher's Stone," answered H.R.

"Wow," reacted Crystal.

Dr. McGee arrives at the lab with Cecile by her side.

"Hey, Joe," called Cecile.

"Is something wrong?" asked Joe.

"Yeah, Captain Edward wants you back at KCPD," said Cecile.

"You could've just called me," said Joe.

"Well, maybe there's a reason I decided to talk to you in person," said Cecile.

Everyone in the room takes a few steps back, feeling the awkwardness between Joe and Cecile. H.R. even said "awkward" through his lips.

"I have, uh, an appointment in thirty minutes, so I'll see you guys later," said Crystal, leaving the lab.

* * *

At the Rogues' Warehouse in Central City...

"Just give me another chance," said Golden Glider.

"No," said Savitar. "You had your chance."

"I don't get it," said Golden Glider. "You're a speedster. Why not just kill her yourself?"

"It's because I expect results from those I ally with," said Savitar. "Caitlin Snow betrayed me, even after I assured her that she would become a goddess of this world. I want to make sure my acolytes deliver this time."

"Why her?" asked Golden Glider, referring to Tracy Brand.

"All you need to know is that if she lives, my future will be destroyed," said Savitar.

* * *

Later that evening, at a coffee shop, Tracy was trying to order a coffee, but she had a problem. She looks through her purse, tossing out some stuff in search of something, but she couldn't find it.

"Okay, look, I may not have any cash, but I have one of those, um, Jitters cards with ten stamps on it," said Tracy to the barista. "Which means you owe me a free drink."

To Tracy's surprise, a man places a dollar bill on the counter.

"Allow moi to help out a damsel in distress," he said, handing Tracy back one of the things she dropped. He tells the barista, "I will order for myself and the lady. I'll have a triple-shot, no-whip mocha Flash, and anything this young lady desires."

"I, uh, need to calm down, so... a Zoom," ordered Tracy.

"Zoom?" H.R. was confused. "Never heard of it."

"Oh, it's on the secret menu," said Tracy. "Triple espresso with a shot of cayenne."

While Tracy clicks her tongue, H.R. mumbles.

"Marry me," he said.

"Wait, what?" asked Tracy, confused.

"Nothing," said H.R. "I'm H.R., by the way."

"Tracy," she said.

"Pleasure to meet you," said H.R.

"So, why are you helping me?" asked Tracy. "Are you stalking me?"

"I, uh, not exactly," said H.R. awkwardly. "I'm here to... well, you see, I work at Mercury Labs and Dr. McGee asked me to search for some brilliant young minds. I found you."

"Dr. Christina McGee wants me to work at Mercury Labs?" asked Tracy, surprised. "But I'm no one. I'm a nobody."

"Don't say that," said H.R. "I actually took a look at your work and theories on, um, quantum mechanics, am I right?"

"That is correct," said Tracy.

"And it actually sounds interesting," said H.R. "Your ideas of wave-particle duality, your quantization of energy, and your time-symmetric formulation of quantum theory and how..."

* * *

At Mercury Labs...

"... how the boundary conditions lead to principle causality and the psychological arrow of time," said Cisco, speaking to H.R. through a walkie talkie, helping him talk to Tracy.

* * *

"... and the psychological arrow of time," finished H.R.

Tracy smiles, impressed by H.R.'s knowledge in physics.

"You really know your stuff," said Tracy.

"Well, je suis... smart," said H.R., feeling awkward.

* * *

At Mercury Labs...

"Lay off the French, and lay off the improv too, please. Just keep her talking," said Cisco, sounding annoyed.

* * *

The barista gives H.R. and Tracy their orders.

"Thank you, Mischa," said H.R. He picks up the mugs and gives Tracy hers. "The Zoom."

"Thank you," said Tracy.

"You're welcome," said H.R.

"Let's zoom," quipped Tracy.

* * *

"I don't need to be a psychologist to know that H.R. is in love with Tracy, hence the flirting," said Crystal, who is sitting beside Cisco.

"Hmm," mumbled Cisco.

Seeing Cisco trying to avoid eye contact, Crystal decided to speak to him about it. "Look, Mr. Ramon..."

"Please, just call me Cisco," said Cisco.

"Cisco," said Crystal. "I can only imagine how traumatizing it is to lose such vitals parts of you, especially since you need... them... to use your powers."

"I've been working behind the scenes for two years as the team's engineer. I think I can handle not begin on the field," said Cisco.

"It's not that simple, Cisco," said Crystal. "From what I can tell, you're mad at her, at yourself, and you feel robbed of your special gift."

Cisco finally makes eye contact with Crystal.

"Look, Dr. Frost, I know you're an expert of the brain and emotions, but a psychologist isn't what I need right now," said Cisco. "We're trying to save an innocent woman from being killed. I suggest we focus."

Cisco continues looking at the security cameras outside the coffee shop. Crystal decided not to speak any further and focuses.

* * *

Inside a car at the parking lot of the coffee shop, Barry, Joe, Wally, and Jesse stake out H.R.'s conversation with Tracy. Joe watches them through a pair of binoculars.

"I don't know about this one, Bar," said Joe. "H.R. isn't exactly our best closer."

"He'll be fine," said Barry.

Barry looks at Joe and sees that he looks bothered.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," lied Joe. "It's just..."

"Cecile," guessed Barry, Wally, and Jesse at the same time.

Joe sighs. "I told you all. I'm not ready."

"Let's be honest here. You're never going to make things up with her," said Jesse.

"What makes you say that, young lady?" asked Joe.

"The fact that every time we tell you to talk to Cecile, you just end up talking about work with her," said Wally.

"Joe, you can't keep pushing her away," said Barry. "I know that sounds ironic coming from me, but Crystal said something to me that I never thought of before."

"And what would that be?" asked Joe.

"That me not being there for you is one reason you're pushing Cecile away," said Barry. "I know I haven't been a good son to you since Iris died."

"Barry, we all understand why you wanted to be alone," said Joe.

"No, you really don't," said Barry. "Yes, I wanted to mourn all by myself, but that's not it. I pushed everyone away because I felt responsible for what happened to her, and I didn't want to face you on the day you finally blame me for it."

"Barry, I don't blame you. None of us here blame you," said Joe.

"I know," said Barry. "But this isn't about me. It's about you. Cecile loves you, I know. And I know you love her too. We all know what Iris would want you to do."

"She would want you to go after her," said Wally.

"Just because Iris is gone, doesn't mean you have to stop living your life," said Jesse.

"You have to make the most of your life. Being with Cecile make you happy. Iris would want you to be happy," said Barry.

Joe hangs his head as he thinks.

"That Dr. Frost is really helping you, isn't she?" asked Joe.

"She is," said Barry. "I know looking at her is hard, but just remember, she's not her."

* * *

Back at the coffee shop, Tracy decided to share something with H.R.

"Okay, so, here's the thing that I could never get them to understand at the university," said Tracy. She looks around to see if anyone is within hearing range. She leans closer at H.R. and says, "See, I've been studying speedsters."

"Oh." H.R. was surprised to hear this.

"And so, you know how, when they run, they generate a trail of... lightning behind them?" started Tracy.

H.R. nods.

"I don't think that all of that is generated from them running," said Tracy. "I think... some of it comes from somewhere, like it comes from some sort of..."

"Speed Force," said H.R.

"Yeah, that is a great term for it," smiled Tracy.

"Thanks," replied H.R.

"So, I've been doing some calculations," continued Tracy. "I think there might be a way to manipulate it. Maybe even control it."

"Interesting," said H.R. "How do you think one can accomplish that?"

"See, I don't know because the university wouldn't fund my research," said Tracy.

H.R. continues to stammer awkwardly.

"Why are you so interested in this?" asked Tracy. "Everyone thinks I'm a crackpot."

As an act of comfort, H.R. puts his hand on top of Tracy's.

"I don't think you're a crackpot," said H.R.

"But you don't know me," said Tracy. "You should see me in the lab."

"You have big dreams and a brilliant mind. Those two together, that doesn't make a crackpot. That makes a genius," said H.R.

"Uh, thanks," said Tracy with a smile.

The two drink their coffees at the same time while maintaining eye contact. All of a sudden, something busts through the window and hits a table, startling everyone.

* * *

Barry and Joe saw the projectile hit the coffee shop. Barry turns his head and saw two familiar individuals dressed like pirates. It was Trickster and his son, Axel. Trickster was wearing a pirate hat, an eyepatch, and holding a hook in his hand. Axel wears a bandanna and arms himself with a plastic sword. They were standing next to what appears to be a cannon.

"Ooh! So close," said Axel, using binoculars to see where the cannonball.

"Get your ass back on the wheel, son! We're not done here," said Trickster, talking like a pirate.

Axel loads the cannon with another cannonball. He looks through the crosshairs of the cannon. He has Tracy Brand in his sights, exiting the cafe with H.R.

"Fire in the hole!" yelled Trickster.

Axel fires again. The cannon ball was about to hit Tracy. Fortunately for her, the Flash arrives. He jumps up and catches the cannonball, but the velocity of the ball pushes him until he smashes through a window.

"Ouch," commented H.R.

Trickster and Axel were about to load the cannon again, until a bullet hits the cannon. They see Joe West, holding up his gun.

"Detective West! Nice to see you again," greeted Trickster.

"You too," joked Joe. "Now, get down on the ground."

"If you insist," said Trickster.

Trickster gets down on his knees. Axel follows his father. Trickster puts his hand behind his hand. Suddenly, he pulls a gun out from his back and fires at Joe. Fortunately for Joe, Kid Flash and Jesse Quick capture all the bullets.

"I don't know if you guys know this but you're on land, not on water," joked Kid Flash.

"You might wanna give up now or I'll give you a reason to be wearing that patch," said Jesse Quick.

"Drats!" cursed Trickster. "Guess we'll have to play dress-up later."

Trickster takes out another gun and fires at the air, releasing a flare. A few seconds later, a streak of white lightning shows up and takes them away.

"If these Rogues always need Savitar to bail them out, why does he even bother with them?" wondered Kid Flash.

"Bar," remembered Joe.

H.R. and Tracy check on the Scarlet Speedster. He looked banged up, but he was beginning to stand up. H.R. decided to give him a hand.

"Thanks," said Flash, accepting H.R.'s help.

"No problem," said H.R.

"Are you okay?" asked Tracy.

"My stomach hurts and my back aches, but I'll be fine," said Flash.

"Wait a minute," said Tracy, realizing something. "Have you been keeping an eye on me? Did the KCPD send you two?"

"Oh, no," lied H.R.

"Don't bother lying. We've been made," said Flash.

"Okay, fine, we were," said H.R.

"So, you're friends with the Flash?" asked Tracy.

"You can say that," said H.R.

"Look, Ms. Brand, I know you said you didn't want protection, but it's my duty to protect everyone, somebody or nobody," said Flash.

H.R. tells Tracy, "Trust me. I may have been here on duty, but I really did look at your work. I truly think you're a genius. If I could ask you out for another cup of coffee, I would."

"Well, I, uh... thanks," said Tracy awkwardly.

Joe approaches Tracy.

"Ms. Brand, you really need to come with us," said Joe.

"Well, I've been almost killed twice, so I guess I could use a little protection," agreed Tracy.

* * *

At Mercury Labs, H.R. takes Tracy to Christina McGee.

"You must Tracy Brand," said McGee.

"And you're Dr. Christina McGee," said Tracy, shaking the scientist's hand.

"H.R. showed me your profile. You have potential," said McGee.

Tracy turns to H.R. with a surprised look on her face. "Wait, you mean she actually read my profile."

"Well, I thought I wouldn't be lying if I did," said H.R.

"If you're looking for an internship anywhere, Ms. Brand, you're more than welcome here at Mercury Labs," said McGee.

Tracy couldn't help but smile. She always thought of herself as a nobody, and yet, here she is in Mercury Labs, talking to the famous Christina McGee, who sincerely believes she is brilliant and has potential to become someone special.

"Uh, Tracy, there's, um, something I need to show you," said H.R.

H.R. and Tracy take the elevator to Team Flash's headquarters in the basement. While they wait, H.R. takes out his facial transmogrifier and reveals his true face. Needless to say, Tracy was shocked.

"Surprise," said H.R.

"You're... you're..." Tracy could barely speak due to the surprise.

"Yes, I know I look like Harrison Wells, but I'm not that Harrison Wells," said H.R. "It's a long story. The rest of the team will brief you. But I promise you, I'm a swell guy."

* * *

At the lab, the rest of Team Flash are wondering about why Savitar is trying to kill Tracy Brand.

"Why would Savitar want Tracy Brand dead?" wondered Wally.

"That's the third time you said that in the past ten minutes," pointed out Cisco.

"Okay, let's think," said Jesse. "Savitar is from the future, right? Maybe in the future, Tracy did something to him."

"We're not just talking about a childish prank, are we?" joked Cisco.

"It must be something big," guessed Barry. "Maybe Tracy is an obstacle to his rise to power."

"She studied speedsters, right?" asked Joe. "Didn't her research say something about... manipulating the Speed Force?"

"Savitar said that in the future, I trapped him in the speed force," said Barry. "Maybe Tracy helped me in the future."

"If that's true, that would explain it," said Wally.

Barry then thinks back to what happened at the university. "When Golden Glider attacked Tracy at KCU, she said Savitar told her exactly when I'd show up and how long until Wally and Jesse show up."

"Guess that explains the barrier," said Jesse.

"Savitar's from the future, which means he's always one step ahead of us." said Barry.

"It's like Caitlin all over again," commented Jesse. "Well, except she's not a time-traveling speedster. She was just smart."

"There's only one way we can get the answers we need," said Barry.

"Bar, what are you saying?" asked Joe.

"I'm gonna run to the future," answered Barry.

 **Hope this was an okay chapter. In the next chapter, you can probably tell that it will take inspiration from 3x19 ("The Once and Future Flash"). Of course, there will be changes. Since Iris is already dead, well, expect things to be a little different.**


	7. 2024

**It's time to see my version of the future. Enjoy.**

 **NOTE: "Future Barry" and "Future Flash" refer to 2024 Barry Allen, just in case you might get confused here. 2017 Barry Allen will still be referred to as "Barry" and "Flash" in this chapter.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **jessicabiggs16 and  godspeed 251, thanks for the reviews... I guess...? Oh, and special thanks to Steve993 too.**

At the West household, Barry was doing some calculations, trying to see when in the future he should travel to. He was interrupted by a knock on the door. He opens the door and sees Crystal.

"Hey," greeted Barry.

"May I come in?" asked Crystal.

"Of course," said Barry, letting his friend in.

Crystal immediately sees the papers on the coffee table, filled with mathematical equations, triangles, angles, and the name "Savitar".

"You're trying to find out what time to travel to," guessed Crystal.

"And you're not skeptical about this?" asked Barry.

"The world's changed. Nowadays, time travel sounds pretty normal. I wouldn't be surprised if we ever see aliens," said Crystal.

Barry sits down on the floor and continues his calculations. After a few more minutes of thinking, he figures it out.

"2024," he said. "That's where I need to go."

"You mean 'when'," said Crystal.

Barry smiled, amused.

"Nice to see you smiling," said Crystal, smiling as well.

"Only because you're helping me," said Barry.

"It's only been a week," said Crystal.

"Maybe that's because you're really good at your job," complimented Barry.

Crystal can feel her cheeks burn as her smile grew wider.

"I'm just surprised, really," said Crystal. "You lost the woman you love to your best friend and it broke you, so much that you lost touch with the world. And now, you're asking a woman who looks like the person who took the most important person in your life away from you and, suddenly, you're recovering faster than you should be."

"I guess that's because you're more than just my therapist. You're my friend," said Barry.

"Is it because I look like... 'her'?" questioned Crystal.

"I'm trying to see pass that," said Barry. "It's not easy, but I'm trying. We all are."

"Another thing that surprises me is that you're handling seeing me better than the others," said Crystal. "Caitlin Snow did a lot of terrible things, but you suffered more than any of them, I can tell. Even I don't understand why you've warmed up to me so fast."

"You're full of curiosity, aren't you?" replied Barry.

"It's part of the profession," said Crystal. "But I am proud of you, Barry. You're talking to your friends and family again. You're trying to help Detective West get back together with D.A. Horton."

"You can call them Joe and Cecile," said Barry.

"What does it feel like? Traveling through time?" asked Crystal.

"It's a... wonderful feeling," said Barry. "Once you cross a breach, you can see... everything. Many potential futures right in front of you. Even if knowing about your future can be dangerous, the sense of wonder when you're running through the time itself, it's amazing."

Crystal smiles as she listened. When she turned her head, she saw a picture. It was a picture of Barry, Cisco, and Caitlin. This made her think of something.

"You know, Barry, you never told me why Caitlin hated you," said Crystal. "I just want to understand. How can someone who sees you like family turn on you like that?"

Barry's smile dropped as he prepared himself to relive the pain of the story. "You know about my mother, don't you?"

"Yes," replied Crystal. "You were only 11. Your father was wrongfully arrested for her murder."

"I traveled back in time to save her and I did," continued Barry. "In doing so, I created an alternate timeline. We call it 'Flashpoint'. A time where my parents were alive. I was so happy, until... something bad happened. So, I ran back in time and let the man who murdered mother finish his job to reset the timeline. When I got back, things were different. Caitlin became a metahuman because of me. She blames me for turning her into a killer. She wanted to make me suffer for it."

"And assuming what happened six months ago, she sort of succeeded," said Crystal.

Barry hangs his head as his eyes began to tear up. One tear falls down his cheek, but Crystal wipes it off his face.

"I think I figured out the real problem," said Crystal.

"What do you mean?" asked Barry.

"You blame yourself for Iris' death," said Crystal. "But a part of you also blames her for making that choice."

"I don't blame her. It was all my doing," said Barry.

"I know you don't believe that completely, Barry," said Crystal.

Barry hangs his head again as he tries to understand what Crystal is saying. Crystal reaches for Barry's hand and grabs hold. Barry looks down at his hand before looking back at Crystal.

"Forgiveness is the key," said Crystal.

"Forgiveness," muttered Barry. "Caitlin once said that our conflict rides on that word."

"But she never forgave you, did she?" asked Crystal.

Barry nods. "No."

"And you never forgave her," assumed Crystal. "Barry, if you really want to feel better, even if the pain will never go away, there are two people you have to forgive. Caitlin and yourself."

"But... she's not here anymore," said Barry sadly.

"The people we love are never really gone even if it feels like they are," said Crystal. "You don't have to do it now. You have this time travel stuff to do. But once you get back, you'll figure out."

Barry looks at Crystal's eyes. Her smile was her way of telling him that she believes in him.

"I'm really glad I met you," said Barry.

"Me too," said Crystal. "We all need help."

The two smiled at each other for a long time. The moment was interrupted when Crystal's phone rang.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Oh, really?"

"Sure."

"I'll be there."

"Work?" guessed Barry.

"Someone wanted to book an appointment," said Crystal. "I'll, uh, see you later. Have fun in the future."

"I'll try," said Barry.

Crystal gets up and walks out the door. She looks at Barry with a smile for one more second before closing the door. She was still smiling, as was Barry.

* * *

Barry arrived at Mercury Labs. When he arrived at Team Flash's lab, the only person he saw there is Cisco.

"Hey, Cisco," greeted Barry.

"Hey," greeted Cisco.

"Where's Wally?" asked Barry.

"Out with Jesse," answered Cisco.

Cisco appeared to be too focused on whatever he was doing on his computer.

"You look busy," said Barry.

"Remember the tests Jesse and I ran on your friend Crystal last week? I've been analyzing the data for that long and I always get the same result," said Cisco.

"Which is?" asked Barry, confused.

"Nothing. Medical records. School records. There is no mention of Crystal Frost." said Cisco. "The only thing available is a DNA record."

"Given her nightly job at Hub City, maybe she needed to make herself invisible," guessed Barry.

"If that's the case, then why would she tell you her name?" wondered Cisco. "What if Crystal Frost isn't even her name? What if it's just an alias? What if she just used the name 'Frost' to hide in plain sight, especially since she looks like Caitlin?"

"Dude, calm down," said Barry. "I'll ask her about this soon, but right now, it's time."

"So, you figured where, or more appropriately, 'when' you need to travel to?" asked Cisco.

"2024," answered Barry.

"The day you vanished fighting the Reverse Flash?" asked Cisco.

"No, just before that," said Barry. "Look, Cisco, I know seeing Crystal is... difficult... but there's no need to be paranoid. She's not her. She's not Caitlin."

"I know that. I'm just wondering if she's really this nice, sweet angel she appears to be," said Cisco. "I mean after everything we went through with the first Wells and Jay... I mean... Zolomon, I just want to be careful about who we trust."

"You can be careful if you want, but all she wants to do is help me get better," said Barry.

"And how is that working so far?" asked Cisco.

"Faster than expected, at least according to her," said Barry.

"Well, that's good," said Cisco. "Iris would be happy to hear that."

"Yeah, she would," agreed Barry.

* * *

Later that day, Kid Flash meets Flash outside Keystone City.

"So, how does this work?" asked Kid Flash.

"Just run in circles at your top speed. I'll be right behind you, siphoning your speed. It should be enough to propel me to the future," said Flash.

"But you ran to the future without any help, not to mention with an injured leg," said Kid Flash.

"I barely did it. My leg almost gave out," said Flash. "This way, it'll be must faster. In case I encounter danger in the future, I won't be too winded."

"Okay, let's do this," said Kid Flash, warming himself up.

Kid Flash started running in circles as fast as he can. Flash started running right behind him, siphoning the speed force from Kid Flash's speed trail. Flash started running faster, overtaking Kid Flash. Kid Flash stops running and watches as Flash runs at speeds he can only dream to reach. It didn't take long until Flash disappeared into a breach, running into the future.

"Good luck, Flash," said Kid Flash, hoping his mentor will be okay.

* * *

Flash comes out of the breach and runs into an alley. He skids along the pavement as he tried to stop. He eyes his surroundings. He was in Central City. It appeared to be the same as before, except part of the city was rebuilt. Despite this, the city overall was still a wreck and very few people lived in there. Flash finds a newspaper in the trash can and takes it out. He reads the date:

March 14, 2024

"2024. I made it," said Flash. "Okay, where do I go first?"

Flash takes a few steps forward as he tried to think.

"I know," he said. "The one person I can always count on."

* * *

 _Star City, 2024_

Felicity Smoak was in her apartment, working on her laptop, as usual. She had a pile of papers stacked next to her. While she typed, she signs her signature on the papers. Suddenly, a streak of lightning zooms into her room, causing all the paper to fly off the table and scatter on the floor.

"No," whined Felicity.

Felicity turns her head and gasps with shock at the sight of who came into her room. It was the Flash.

"Barry?" she said softly. "Is that really you?"

Flash takes off his cowl and shows his face.

"Hey, Felicity," greeted Barry. "You look great today."

"You look... different," said Felicity.

"What do you mean?" asked Barry.

"Last I remembered, your hair was longer and you had a scar on the left side of your face," said Felicity. "Not to mention all mopey and brooding. And what's with the old suit? Throwback Thursday? Wait, today is Tuesday, so it's more like... Throwback Tuesday. How come that's not a thing? I mean both Tuesday and Thursday start with 't'..."

Barry smiled as Felicity babbled. It was nice to know some things haven't changed, he thought.

"Why're you smiling?" asked Felicity.

"It's just good to see you," said Barry. "I, uh, have to tell you something."

And so, Barry tells Felicity about who he really is and why he's here.

"So, let me get this straight," started Felicity. "You're Barry Allen from 2017 and you've traveled here to 2024 to ask yourself some questions."

"That's pretty much it," said Barry.

"Okay, but why come to me first?" asked Felicity.

"You know I can always count on you," said Barry.

"At least one person in this world does," muttered Felicity.

"What do you mean? Are you still suspended from Team Arrow?" asked Barry.

"Well, you're from 2017, so, of course, you haven't heard," said Felicity. "They officially kicked me out on May 2018."

"What, why?" asked Barry.

"You really want to know?" Felicity asked him, making sure he wants to know the answer. "Let's just say it involved Helix, Vigilante, and Oliver's son, well, second son."

"I heard Laurel was pregnant," said Barry. "What did they name him?"

"Connor," answered Felicity.

"That's a lovely name," said Barry. "So, uh, what happened with you?"

"Barry, a lot has happened the past seven years. Are you sure you want to know?" asked Felicity, once again trying to be cautious with what details she should share with Barry.

"I came to you for a reason," said Barry.

* * *

With mysterious winged warriors guarding the streets of Star City, Barry and Felicity had to wear hoodies to keep themselves hidden. Felicity led Barry to the cemetery. Once they arrived, the former CSI was shocked to see what he found.

Gravestones carved with the names of his beloved friends.

Oliver Queen.

Thea Queen.

Laurel Lance.

Quentin Lance.

John Diggle.

Roy Harper.

Ray Palmer.

"What happened?" asked Barry.

"You remember those weird alien soldiers in the city? They work for a nutcase called Darkseid," said Felicity.

"Darkseid," muttered Barry, remembering the name. "I traveled to the future before. I found a newspaper that says 'Darkseid Conquers the World'."

"Well, now you know what you have to do when you get back," said Felicity.

"One problem at a time," said Barry. "What happened after the war with this Darkseid?"

"Well, besides prune face taking over the world, all the humans are turned into slaves," said Felicity.

"What about Connor?" asked Barry. "If Oliver and Laurel are... who's taking care of him?"

"Lyla," answered Felicity. "She's leading a resistance against Darkseid."

"And where is this resistance?" asked Barry.

"Working underground, like literally," answered Felicity.

"What about me? Am I a part of it?" asked Barry.

Felicity looks up and sighs. "I wish I can punch for saying that, but since you're from the past, it's pointless. Future you has been down in the dumps since the Savitar fiasco. You came out of retirement to help fight Darkseid, but after we lost the war, you went back into moping."

"Am I still living in Keystone?" asked Barry.

"No," said Felicity.

"Then where am I now?" asked Barry.

* * *

Barry runs back to Central City. He shows up where Felicity said his future self is. He was surprised to hear about, but he was even more surprised when he arrived. It was the house that once belonged to the West family, except it was no longer destroyed. It was rebuilt.

Barry knocks on the door three times, but no one answered. He decided to phase through the door. He was surprised to see that nothing has changed. The couch, the dining table, the television, the fireplace, it was all exactly where he remembered them. The only thing that's changed are the pictures. There were still some pictures of Barry with Joe and Iris. There were a few of Wally.

Barry then hears footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Why are you here?"

Barry turns around and sees himself, only different. His future reminded him of what he looked like after Iris died. His hair got longer and he speaks with the voice of a broken man. Barry also notices the scar the Felicity mentioned. Future Barry takes a close look at the man who looks like him.

"You're from the past," guessed Future Barry.

"October 2017," answered Barry.

Future Barry flinched a little from the response.

"You already lost her," said Future Barry.

"I came here to ask some questions," said Barry.

"You sure you want that?" asked Future Barry.

"Savitar," said Barry. "I need a name."

"I'm afraid I can't help you," said Future Barry.

"Why?" asked Barry.

"Because I don't know who he is," answered Future Barry. "Sorry you came here for nothing. Do yourself a favor. Go home. Spend as much time with your friends and family, because one day, you're gonna lost them."

Future Barry walks back upstairs. Barry was going to go after him, but decided against it. When he looked into the eyes of his future self, he could see himself after he lost Iris. He was broken, but he looked and sounded even worse than he was.

* * *

Barry shows up at the cemetery to see if what Future Barry told him is true. As it turns out, it was. He read the gravestones carved with the names of his friends and family.

Joe West.

Cisco Ramon.

Jesse Chambers-Wells.

H.R. Wells.

Just when he thought he's seen everything, he stumbles across another gravestone.

Crystal Frost.

It then hit Barry. He was kind of surprised to see his future self so broken because he has been getting help from Crystal. The gravestone in front of him tells him why he hasn't gotten any better over time. He lost the one person who can help him.

Before he can think about it any further, he notices that there's one name he didn't find carved on a gravestone.

Wally's.

"He's still alive," muttered Barry.

* * *

Barry runs into Central City, wearing his Flash suit. He can see the same winged alien-like warriors that he saw in 2020. They were capturing humans or trying to keep them in line. Before he can do anything, a streak of yellow lightning arrives at the scene. It was a speedster in a silver suit. While the color was new, the design of the suit looked familiar to Barry.

"Wally?" wondered Barry.

The speedster in silver started fighting the alien soldiers. He dodges their spear strikes and laser blasts, as well as tricking them into taking out each other. He speed punches all of them until they decided to retreat. The crowd cheered for the speedster. Barry was expecting for the speedster to smile and wave at the crowd, but he didn't. The speedster in silver saw Barry in the distance. He ignores him and runs away. Barry follows him.

Barry follows the speedster to, to his surprise, S.T.A.R. Labs. It was, however, shut down. He enters the building in search of the speedster.

Just like the West household, nothing was changed when S.T.A.R. Labs was rebuilt. When he arrived at the cortex, he sees the silver suit on the mannequin.

"What are you doing here?"

Barry turns around and sees a familiar face enter the cortex.

"You got some nerve showing up here," said Wally.

"Hey, Wally," greeted Barry.

"What? You're gonna act like you never abandoned me? That's not funny," said Wally with a bitter tone in his voice.

"Uh, sorry," apologized Barry. "Look, Wally, I'm not the Barry you know. I'm from the past."

"You think I'm gonna believe that?" Wally continues to act hostile towards Barry.

"Wally, look at me. Felicity said this is a 'Throwback Thursday' look. I'm guessing future me must have a new suit," said Barry.

Wally listens to every word Barry says. He did find it weird that Barry was wearing his old suit.

"If you are from the past, what are you doing here?" asked Wally.

"I just came here to ask my future self who Savitar is and how to beat him," said Barry. "He doesn't know who he is. Don't supposed you do?"

"Afraid not," said Wally.

Barry hangs his head in disappointment.

"I'm... sorry," apologized Wally. "I just... it's hard to look at you, well, your future self."

"How could he abandon you?" asked Barry.

Wally responds with a question of his own. "What did Felicity tell you?"

"That I've been isolating myself from others after this Darkseid war," said Barry.

"Then that's all you need to know," said Wally. "It hurts seeing him like this after Iris. If it wasn't for Crystal, he was beginning to become himself. Then Savitar killed her and he started to lose it again..."

"Savitar killed Crystal?" Barry asked, surprised.

"Yeah," answered Wally. "After he lost dad, Cisco, Jesse, and everyone, there is no way he's recovering. And so, I'm left to protect this city on my own."

"You don't look too good yourself," said Barry.

"Can you blame me?" replied Wally.

"I'm sorry," said Barry. "I know how much Jesse meant to you. But don't worry. I can save her. I won't let Darkseid take her away from you."

Wally hangs his head as he walked towards his suit, avoiding eye contact with Barry.

"Wait. Darkseid isn't the one who took Jesse away from you, is her? It was Savitar," realized Barry. "Wally, I promise. I can save her."

"Easier said than done," said Wally.

"C'mon, Wally, where's that optimism we all known you for?" asked Barry.

"It died along with Jesse!" yelled Wally. Realizing how he sounded, he apologizes. "I'm sorry."

Barry decided to change the subject. "Tracy Brand. What's her part in defeating Savitar?"

"She created a device that traps Savitar in the Speed Force," answered Wally. "But I'm afraid I can't tell you. Barry kept the plans for the device."

Realizing that there's nothing he can do, Barry decides to leave. He turns around and walks out of the cortex.

"Barry, wait!" called Wally. "Don't go. Please, stay here."

"What?" Barry is confused.

"I missed you, man," said Wally. "I can't protect this city from Darkseid's Parademons by myself. Central City needs the Flash. The world needs the Flash."

"You know I can't stay here, Wally," said Barry. "I have to go back."

"Why? Because to you, this is just a potential future? It doesn't matter because you can change it?" questioned Wally.

"None of this is going to happen, I promise you," said Barry.

Barry runs out of the cortex, leaving Wally to sulk.

* * *

Barry arrives at the pipeline. He was about to run back to the past. He opens the door and started running. However, there was something holding him back. He could hear how desperate Wally was when he asked for him to stay. He needed him. After seeing his future self, he can understand how much Wally needs him. Can he really just abandon him just like his future self did? Can he really just abandon Wally because this is only a potential future?

In the end, Barry stopped himself from running.

* * *

Barry returns to his future self's home. Future Barry was currently in the living room, holding a little device in his hand that projects images of him and Iris.

"Looks like I did create Gideon after all."

Future Barry turns around and sees his past self.

"I recognize that technology anywhere," said Barry, pointing at the projection device.

"What do you want now?" asked Future Barry.

"You abandoned Wally," said Barry.

"He's doing just fine on his own," said Future Barry.

"Just fine on his own? He's lonely," said Barry. "He lost his father and the girl he loves, and you just leave him alone because you think you lost more than anyone in this world?"

Future Barry turns off the device and stands up, looking at his past self with anger. "Who's to say you wouldn't do the same thing?"

"I almost did," said Barry. "But I'm still here. Possible future or not, I'm gonna help Wally."

"You have no idea what I'm feeling," said Future Barry.

"I think I do," said Barry.

"No, you don't!" yelled Future Barry, pushing Barry back. "Not yet, but you will. You can come up with whatever you can to stop him, but you won't be able to defeat him until after he kills her. On the night of October 24, 2017, she dies. When she does, you'll know exactly how I feel."

"I think I already do," said Barry. "When I lost Iris, I locked myself away from the world. I wouldn't talk to Joe or Wally or Jesse or Cisco or H.R. or anyone. Then Crystal came into my life and she beginning to help me get back in the world..."

"I remember," said Future Barry. "She really helped me. I was beginning to feel like myself again."

Barry studies his future self's face. There was something more on the look on his face than just grieving for a friend.

"You loved her," realized Barry.

Future Barry flinches and looks back at his past self.

"Patty once gave me advice about moving on," Future Barry. "You remember, don't you?"

"I never forgot," said Barry. "Do you also remember what Crystal said?"

Future Barry didn't say a word. He just looks away from his past self.

"If you can't move on, you're only gonna hurt yourself," said Barry. "I will never forget Iris, but I can't spend my life grieving for her. And you can't grieve for Crystal forever."

"Easy for you to say," said Future Barry. "You still have her. I don't."

Future Barry walks away.

"If you're not going to help Wally, then at least give me the plans," said Barry.

Future Barry stopped.

"I've met Tracy Brand. Savitar was trying to kill her. I read her work and I have a feeling that she may be the key to stopping Savitar," clarified Barry. "Just tell me how she did it."

"It won't do you any good," said Future Barry. "You'll lose her before you defeat him."

"Why would Savitar kill her?" asked Barry.

"I don't know for sure," said Future Barry. "He said he wanted me to suffer. He wanted me to slip deeper into the darkness. He knew killing her would do that." Future Barry then sighs and buries his face in his hands. "I don't even know why I'm talking to you. Just go home, Barry. Go home. There's nothing for you here."

"I'm not leaving here until I get those plans and help Wally," said Barry. "If you won't help him fight, I will."

"If you stay here too long, you'll be messing with time again," said Future Barry.

"It's up to you really," said Barry.

Barry runs out of the house, leaving Future Barry to think about everything they talked about.

* * *

Barry runs back to the cortex, where Wally was monitoring the city.

"Changed your mind?" asked Wally hopefully.

"I won't abandon you. Ever," said Barry.

Wally started to smile.

* * *

Barry and Wally suit up and head for the heart of Central City. The Parademons were about to begin transforming Central City into a city fit for the world of their master. There was a crowd of people surrounding the group of Parademons. They were protesting against the transformation of their city. They want to rebuild it themselves, not for it to be another victim of Darkseid's reign.

One angry citizen gets past the security and fights the Parademons, only to be instantly killed.

"This is getting out of hand," said Wally.

"You ready, Kid Flash?" asked Barry.

"Actually, I'm the Flash now, in case you haven't heard," said Wally.

"Not while I'm here," smiled Barry.

The Parademons were about move in on the humans, until the two speedsters got in their way. Barry and Wally moved from one Parademon to another, punching them as fast and hard as they can before moving to the next. The crowd cheers for them as they continue to deliver the punches. The Parademons couldn't hit the speedsters because they were too fast.

One Parademon contacts Darkseid, asking him to send reinforcements. A portal appears out of nowhere. More Parademons arrive. Someone else comes out of the portal. It wasn't a Parademon. It appears to be a woman wearing blue and gold armor, a red cape, and holding a golden staff in her hand.

"Who is that?" asked Barry.

"Big Barda," answered Wally. "That rod of hers. It fires energy, powerful energy, so don't get hit."

Before the two speedsters can engage the Parademon army, a breach pops up near them. Coming out of the breach are some familiar faces that Barry is happy to see. White Canary. Captain Cold. Firestorm. Ragman. Artemis. Gypsy. Lyla Michaels, who was accompanied by some A.R.G.U.S. agents. Two more individuals come out of the breach, those who Barry don't recognize. One is a man wearing a different-looking green suit, a hood, and holding a bow in his hand.

"Uh, who's the Green Arrow wannabe?" asked Barry.

"It's Oliver's son, William," answered Wally.

White Canary started batting Parademons with her bo-staff. Captain Cold started firing his Cold Gun, freezing his targets. Firestorm flies in the air and blasts fire at any Parademon in his sight. Ragman started tossing Parademons around like rag dolls. Gypsy uses her vibrational blasts to fend off the Parademons. Lyla and her fellow agents used specialized energy blasters to cause damage to the alien soliders. Artemis and the other archer started shooting arrows.

"Nice to see you out of your shell, Flash," said Captain Cold. "Didn't expect the old suit, though."

"I, uh, have some explaining to do," said Flash.

"Another time," said White Canary, whacking on Parademon in the face.

Flash looks at Kid Flash and says, "Okay, you and me against the big one."

Flash and Kid Flash approach Big Barda. The woman puts two hands on her staff and stretches it, increasing its length.

"I've been waiting for the chance to face you again, Flash," said Big Barda.

"Well, here's your chance," said Flash with a smile.

Flash and Kid Flash run towards Big Barda. Big Barda quickly slams her staff on the ground, sending a wave of energy that knocks down both speedsters. Kid Flash was about to get up, but Big Barda blasts him with an energy beam, knocking him out. Seeing Flash getting back on his feet, Big Barda swings an energy blast at him, sending him back down on the ground.

"This was easier than I thought," said Big Barda, looking down at the speedster in silver. "Goodbye, Kid Flash."

Before Big Barda can unleash the killing blow, a streak of yellow lightning knocks her down. Flash looks up and is surprised to see who it was. It was his future self, wearing a different suit. It had a brighter shade of red and gold piping.

"I see you changed your mind," said Flash.

Future Flash helps his past self up and says, "You're right. I can't abandon Wally."

Kid Flash was beginning to wake up. The first sight he sees is the Barry Allen he knows. Future Flash offers him a hand. Kid Flash takes it and stands up.

"Nice to see you again," said Kid Flash.

"You too, Kid Flash," said Future Flash.

Kid Flash rolled his eyes but smiled.

"Okay, guys, let's do this," said Flash.

Flash, Future Flash, and Kid Flash stand close to each other as they faced Big Barda, who was getting back on her feet. Barda was about to slam her staff to the ground again, but Future Flash flips her to the ground again, causing her to drop her staff. Before she can grab it, Kid Flash zooms over and picks it up.

"Looking for this?" Kid Flash teased.

"I could use a little assistance," said Barda.

Parademons aid their mistress and take on the speedsters. Flash and Kid Flash run circles around them, punching them and dodging their attacks. Kid Flash, however, gets hit by a blaster shot and falls down, dropping the staff. Big Barda reclaims it and faces Future Flash.

"I'm going to assume you're the real Flash," said Barda.

"That I am," confirmed Future Flash.

"You once said I don't want to do this," said Barda.

"And yet, you're still serving Darkseid," said Future Flash. "But we both know it's not what you want."

"I prefer to stay alive, thank you," said Barda.

"Round 2 then," said Future Flash.

Big Barda fires energy blasts continuously at Future Flash. The speedster dodges all the blasts with his speed. The errant energy blasts either hit Parademons or barely miss the heroes, mainly because they dodge them. Future Flash continues running left and right as Barda continues to miss. Big Barda spins and unleashes a wide blast. Future Flash, however, phases through the blast and tackles Big Barda, knocking her on her back again. He picks up her staff and looks down on her.

"Please, kill me. I'd rather die at your hand than Darkseid's," pleaded Big Barda.

"No," said Future Flash.

Future Flash tosses the staff back to her.

"Your choice. You can either join us or you can kill me right here, right now. I won't even try running," said Future Flash.

Big Barda aims her staff at Future Flash. Flash and Kid Flash were about to intervene, but Future Flash gestures for them to stay back. Big Barda was about to fire, but in the end, she hesitated and lowered her staff.

"You want freedom, don't you? I can give it to you. We can give it to you," said Future Flash.

Big Barda looks at Future Flash, reading his face, cowl and all. She raises her staff and fires. The blast flies by Future Flash and hits a Parademon, getting knocked down.

The fight continues on, but Flash and his allies were winning. The Parademons were falling faster with each passing minute. What's left of the Parademons retreated. The crowd cheers. Kid Flash, this time, smiles and waves at the crowd.

"Been a while since you did that," said Future Flash.

"Well, now that you're here, I have a reason to," said Kid Flash.

* * *

Gypsy takes all the heroes to the resistance's secret base, which was an old A.R.G.U.S. bunker.

"Nice of you to join us, Barda," said Lyla.

"Thank Flash here," said Barda, looking at Future Flash.

"So, uh, anyone want to ask why there's two Flashes?" said Firestorm, looking back and forth between the two speedsters in red.

"Long story short, I'm from the past," said Flash.

"Time travel," realized White Canary.

"That's good," said Firestorm. "That means you can fix all this when you get back."

"Don't worry. I will," promised Flash. "One question, though. Who's under the green hood?"

The man in the green takes off the hood.

"William Clayton, son of Oliver," said the archer.

"Wow," reacted Flash, surprised.

William looks at Future Flash and says, "It's cool to finally meet you."

"You too," said Future Flash.

"So, Barry, does this mean you're gonna stay?" asked White Canary.

"Or are you gonna go home and sulk?" joked Captain Cold.

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere," said Future Flash with a smile.

Everyone in the room smiled as well, happy to have the Flash back in the fight.

When White Canary took off her gloves, Flash noticed something shining on her finger than shocked him.

"Sara, you're married?" he asked.

In response, White Canary takes off Captain Cold's glove, revealing a wedding ring around his finger. Flash smiled, happy for both of them.

"So, Barry, any reason you decided to jump here to 2024 or are just passing by?" asked Captain Cold.

"Actually, I do have a reason for being here," said Flash, looking at his future self.

Flash and Future Flash walk away from the group to chat in private.

"Thank you," said Future Barry..

"Hey, the world needs the Flash," said Barry. "Iris would agree."

"Yeah, she would," said Future Barry.

"So, can I have the plans?" asked Barry.

"You don't need the plans," said Future Barry.

"What?" asked Barry, confused.

"Tracy Brand is a brilliant individual. She didn't need blueprints to build the device," said Future Barry. "I'm sure your Tracy can handle it. She created the plans on her own."

"Well, she is a few years younger," mentioned Barry.

"I have faith in her," said Future Barry. "True, she didn't figure out the technology until 2020, but I know she's more than capable of figuring it out earlier."

"So, basically, I came here for nothing," muttered Barry.

"Not for nothing," said Future Barry. "You helped me. You helped Wally. You helped all of us."

"Possible future or not, there's no way I would abandon my friends," said Barry. "This lightning bolt on my chest isn't just for show, you know?"

"It's a symbol of hope," said Future Barry.

"And you can be that again to those people," said Barry.

"I'll try," said Future Barry, looking at his friends.

"You don't need to try," said Barry.

Future Barry takes out a little device and gives it to Barry.

"What is it?" asked Barry.

"Everything you need to know about Tracy Brand in the future... well, you know what I mean," said Future Barry.

* * *

A few minutes later, Flash was ready to go back to 2017. Luckily for him, there's a speed lab in the HQ in case a speedster decided to join Lyla's resistance. Before Flash leaves, he decides to say goodbye to everyone.

He gives Lyla and hug and says, "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be," said Lyla.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure he survives," said Flash, referring to Diggle.

Lyla smiles in response.

Flash looks at William and says, "Oliver would be proud of you."

"Means a lot coming from you," said William.

Wally says to Flash, "Hey, thanks."

Flash puts his hand on Wally's shoulder and says, "I'm gonna save Jesse and that's a promise I'm going to keep."

Flash turns to Gyspsy and says, "Cisco would be happy you're here."

"I came here because of him," said Gypsy, smiling. "It's what he would want."

Lastly, Flash says goodbye to his future self.

"Remember. Don't lose hope," said Flash.

"Never again," said Future Flash.

Flash puts on his cowl and started running around the track. It didn't take long until he disappears into a breach, traveling back in time.

* * *

 _Keystone City, 2017_

Just a second after Kid Flash saw his mentor disappear into the time stream, Flash shows up.

"I-It didn't work?" wondered Kid Flash.

"No, it worked," said Flash. "I'm back."

"But you just left a second ago," said Kid Flash.

"That's time travel for you, Wally," said Flash.

Flash gives Kid Flash a pat on the back before running back to Mercury Labs.

* * *

Back at Mercury Labs, Tracy Brand was called for a meeting with Team Flash. Tracy looks around the lab in awe.

"I always wonder how you kept the friction from building a lethal dose of static charge," said Tracy to Flash.

Flash looks at his own suit with a smile, happy to amaze her.

"Yeah, that's vulcanized Teflon," explained Cisco. "It neutralizes any electron imbalance."

After satisfying Tracy's curiosity of Flash's physiology and suit functions, they decided to brief her on what they need her to do. After the explanation, she was a little baffled.

"You want... me... to build you a device that can turn the Speed Force into a prison?" she asked.

"To stop Savitar, yes," said Flash. "I know this is a big ask, but we know you can do it, Tracy."

"Because I did it before... in the future?" asked Tracy, recalling what she's been told.

"That's why Lisa Snart and Trickster are trying to kill you. Savitar wants to make sure you don't build the device again," said Flash.

Tracy was clearly overwhelmed by all this information.

"We know it's a lot to take in," said Joe.

"Well, to be fair, you're basically telling me I'm Sarah Connor from Terminator," said Tracy.

Almost everyone in the room were unsure the reference fits her.

"More like Miles Dyson," said Cisco.

"Yeah, but good effort, though," said H.R. to Tracy.

Tracy says, "So, you're telling me that my ideas about the..."

"Speed Force," reminded H.R.

"... Speed Force. Being able to control it, manipulate it... I'm right?" finished Tracy.

"It appears so," said Flash.

Flash takes out a little device, which turns out to be a holographic computer, and turns it on. It shows Tracy Brand's profile in the future. It's safe to say that Tracy was shocked to read what she accomplished, or to be more accurate, "will" accomplish in the future.

"A Nobel Prize? Copley Medal?" Tracy started to blush.

Flash nods yes. H.R. silently claps for her.

"Look, Tracy, we need your help," said Flash. "We need you to build this trap now."

"What happens if I don't build the trap?" asked Tracy.

"Savitar kills everyone I care about," said Flash, hanging his head in sorrow.

Tracy can see how the Flash feels. Given that metahumans exist, there was no reason for her to not believe in time travel. If the Flash did go to the future and find out all his loved ones die, she can understand his pain. However, she was still overwhelmed by all the weight he's asking her to carry.

"I'm sorry. Excuse me," said Tracy.

Tracy leaves the lab in order to clear her head someplace else.

"Normally, one of you fells goes out for the chat, but, uh, I got this," said H.R., walking after Tracy.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Keystone Lincoln Hospital, Crystal arrives for her 7:00 patient. The patient enters the office and once Crystal saw who she was, she was shocked. It was Lisa Snart, a.k.a. Golden Glider.

"Hey, Frosty," she said with a smirk.

 **I hope you all liked it. If you do leave a review, please tell me what you think about my version of 2024. I would really love to know your opinion.**


	8. I Know Who You Are

**Remember the cliffhanger from the previous chapter, well, it's time to know what's gonna happen.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to Steve993, jessicabiggs16, NeoTyson, and three Guests for reviewing the previous chapter.**

 **If anyone thinks I'm making Barry look dumb here (looking at you, Guest and Darkness032), feel free to tell me. Before you do, I just want you to know that I'm no expert writer. I just write. Plain and simple. So, please, forgive me if Barry looks "dumb" for not being suspicious of Crystal Frost.**

Lisa sits down on the patient's chair, arms and legs crossed as she looks at her "doctor" with a grin on her face.

"Nice to see you again," said Lisa.

"You too," said Crystal, although she sounds more surprised than happy.

"Why the cold tone, Snow? Not really happy to see an old friend?" replied Lisa.

"Excuse me? Did you just call me Snow?" asked Crystal, looking confused.

"You can drop the charade. It's just the two of us," said Lisa.

"What charade?" asked Crystal, still confused.

"Are you seriously going trying to sell this act, Snow?" laughed Lisa. "You froze my wrist. I think we both know you're not this Crystal Frost character you're pretending to be. Also, why Crystal 'Frost'? If your face doesn't give you away, the name might."

"Ms. Snart, I am aware we know each other in the past. From what I remember, we're quite close. However, I don't remember you ever calling me Snow," said Crystal.

Lisa stands up and walks towards Crystal. She tilts her head left and right as she studied Crystal's face. She didn't know if she was just that good of an actor or she really doesn't believe that she is Caitlin Snow.

"You really think you're Crystal Frost?" asked Lisa.

"That is who I am," said Crystal. "Is this your problem, Ms. Snart? Delirium?"

"I came here to talk to an old friend, who I actually miss, to be honest," said Lisa.

"If I have to inform you, Lisa, I believe I am suffering some kind of amnesia. I remember that we're friends, but that's all I remember," said Crystal. "I don't remember any of the times we spent together."

Lisa sighs, exasperated. "Fine. Fine. You wanna keep playing this game, Snow, fine. Or would you prefer 'Dr. Frost'?"

"If you're not really here for treatment, I suggest you leave," said Crystal.

"Actually, now that you mention it, I am here for treatment," said Lisa sarcastically. "I'm suffering from severe depression over losing a friend. I need you to help me how to move on."

Crystal knows Lisa is just being sarcastic, but when Lisa sat down on the patient's chair again, she decided to play along. She sits down on her chair and started the session.

"So, this person you lost. Who is he? Or she?" asked Crystal.

"Her name is Caitlin Snow," said Lisa. "I know everyone thinks she is a murdering psychopath, but to me, she was more than that. She was a friend."

"From your perspective, what was she like?" asked Crystal.

"Just what every criminal wants out of a partner. Cold-blooded. Ha, literally. Relishes in the pain of others. Treats a fellow criminal like an equal," said Lisa.

Crystal was disturbed, but tried to keep a straight face.

"So, your relationship with her is more than just professional?" asked Crystal.

"Like I said. She was a friend," said Lisa.

As Crystal writes down some notes, she studies Lisa's face. Mentioning the name of "Caitlin" saddens her and it clearly wasn't fake.

* * *

Meanwhile, at a park somewhere, Tracy Brand is sitting down on a bench while looking at a statue of Galileo, thinking about the Flash and his need for her help. Her moment of silence was interrupted when H.R. shows up with two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Eppur si muove. 'And yet it moves'. Galileo's famous statement uttered after being forced to recant his theory that the Earth revolves around the sun. 'And yet it moves'," started H.R., looking at the statue of Galileo. "Mocha Flash for me..." He gives the other cup to Tracy. "... a Zoom for milady."

"Thank you," said Tracy, accepting the coffee.

"You're very welcome," said H.R.

"How did you know I was here?" asked Tracy.

"Um, I might have done a bit of holographic stalking. I stalked you holographically," confessed H.R., sounding embarrassed to say it.

"You mean, in the future, I'm still obsessed with a 500-year-old Italian polymath?" asked Tracy, knowing what he meant.

"Yes, it would appear so," said H.R. with a small laugh.

"I'm sorry I ran of," apologized Tracy. "I just needed to clear my head and think, and this is where I do it best."

"I can see that. That statue is nothing if not inspiring," said H.R., looking at the Galileo statue again. "Concrete beard, foreboding, smart."

"You know, Galileo's peers thought he was a crackpot too," mentioned Tracy.

"Is that right?" asked H.R., intrigued.

"I used to find that comforting," said Tracy. "But then your team showed me the future and showed me that my crazy ideas aren't so crazy after all. I just felt more intimidated than ever."

"I can see that," said H.R. "It's like you're sitting in the shadow of greatness. Your own greatness, right?"

"Exactly," replied Tracy. "It's like I failed so many times. That's all I know how to do. I don't know how to be that brilliant woman in the hologram."

H.R. looked at Tracy closely. He knew she was overwhelmed by the future she was shown, but didn't how much until now.

"But you wouldn't understand," said Tracy. "You're a born genius."

"Yeah, about that, um..." H.R. remembered about his being-a-genius act from the coffee shop. "... I'm not technically a genius. That was a cheap thing to do. I'm sorry I misled you about being a genius. But the point is, you are a genius. You are. I know. I can feel it. It's right there, just brimming below the surface."

"It is?" asked Tracy.

"Yes, absolutely. Yes, it is, Tracy," said H.R. confidently. "And you can defeat Savitar. All you need is just to believe in yourself. And for what it's worth, I already do."

As H.R. drank his coffee, Tracy thinks about what he says. He honestly believes in her, which seems to be helping her confidence.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cecile meets up with Joe at the captain's office in the KCPD.

"You said you wanted to talk?" asked Cecile.

"Yes," said Joe.

"Well, make it quick because I have three cases I have to get back to," said Cecile.

"It's not about work," said Joe.

Joe sits down on the couch. Cecile sits next to him.

"I know I haven't been there for you since Iris died," started Joe.

"Joe, I can understand why you need the space," said Cecile.

"But it wasn't right for me to just forget about... us," said Joe. "With everything that's been going for the past three years, being with you was a breath of fresh air. I never thought I would find someone special, until I met you."

Cecile started to smile.

"I've been spending too much time mourning for my baby girl that I never thought about what she wanted for me," said Joe. "And what she wants... is for me to be with you for the rest of my life."

"Where is all this coming from?" asked Cecile.

"Barry," answered Joe. "Part of the reason why I couldn't move forward was because he couldn't move forward. But thanks to... Crystal... he started opening himself up. He and I talked about us and he gave me some helpful advice."

"And what would that be?" asked Cecile.

"That I should make most of my life," said Joe. "I love you, Cecile. I love you with all my heart."

Cecile's smile grew wider. "I love you, too. With all my heart."

Joe finally started to smile. They both cupped each other's cheeks and pulled each other for a kiss. For the first time in a long time, Joe finally feels happy. Barry was right, he thought. Being with Cecile makes him happy and him being happy is what Iris would want for him. He knows Iris would be proud of him.

* * *

Later that evening, Barry went back to his house and decided to watch a movie. He chose "Marry Poppins". He was enjoying himself until, halfway through the movie, someone knocked on the door. He answers the door and sees Crystal.

"Hey," greeted Barry.

"Hey," greeted Crystal. "Heard from Cisco that you just traveled to the future."

"Did he tell you anything else?" asked Barry.

"That Tracy Brand is the one who's gonna build a trap to stop Savitar," said Crystal. "So, what was it like? The future?"

Barry hangs his head as he remembers what he saw.

"I'm going to assume it wasn't good," guessed Crystal. "I'm sorry I asked."

"No, no, that's okay," said Barry. "Yes, the future was bleak, but... now that I know..."

"You can change it," said Crystal, finishing Barry's sentence.

Barry smiles and nods. Crystal smiles back, until she notices Barry staring at her for a pretty long time.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Crystal.

"I'm just... happy to see you," said Barry. "So, uh, how was work?"

"You wouldn't believe who I saw. It was Lisa Snart," said Crystal.

Barry was shocked to hear this. "Did she hurt you?"

"No, she didn't," said Crystal. "She thinks I'm Caitlin."

"Well, I can't really blame her," said Barry.

"She misses her," said Crystal.

"Really?" asked Barry, surprised.

"They may have been partners in crime, but she thought her as a real friend," said Crystal.

Barry smiled a little. It was nice to know that Lisa was capable to caring about people other than her brother and Cisco. He didn't expect her and Caitlin to be so close that Lisa would grieve for her as well.

"I'm really beginning to doubt moving here to Keystone," said Crystal.

"No, you shouldn't. I'm glad you're here," said Barry.

"Yeah, but every person I've met since moving here has a connection to the woman I look like, a woman responsible for so much death and anarchy," said Crystal, hanging her head and curving her lips into a frown.

Barry puts his finger on Crystal's chin and turns her head so she can look at him. "I know it's been hard for you these past few days, but I promise you, it's gonna get better. Just give it time. My friends and family will accept you as who you really are. I know it. I have."

Crystal smiles. To Barry's surprise, she leans closer and plants a kiss on his cheek.

"W-wh-w-wh-why?" stuttered Barry.

"Thank you," said Crystal.

"Uh, you're welcome," said Barry.

Before the awkward moment between the two can continue, Joe, Wally, and Jesse return home.

"Hey, Bar," greeted Joe.

"Hey," greeted Wally and Jesse at the same time.

"Hey, guys," greeted Barry.

"Um, hello," greeted Crystal.

Wally and Jesse were clearly bothered looking at Crystal, but they tried their best not to scowl.

"So, uh, Crystal, what are you doing here?" asked Jesse.

"I thought I'd visit a friend. I needed it," said Crystal.

"Tough day at work?" asked Wally.

"You have no idea," said Crystal. "Anyway, I should probably get going. If you need me, I'm just next door."

Crystal grabs her stuff and leaves the house. Wally and Jesse did the polite thing and said goodbye to her politely. They then sat down on the couch with Barry and Joe.

"Hey, Bar," called Joe. "I took your advice and I told Cecile that... I love her."

"Joe, that's great," said Barry. "What did she say?"

"That she loves me too," answered Joe.

Barry, Wally, and Jesse all smiled, happy that Joe finally fixed things with Cecile.

"Good for you," said Jesse.

"I couldn't haven't done with all of you," said Joe. "I mean, love's the only thing we have in this world. Without it, nothing really matters. Who knows what we'd become if we didn't have it?"

As Barry listened to Joe, something hit in. His mind shifted to Savitar. A bunch of voices echoed in his head as he started to realize something.

 _Savitar: "You took everything from me, Flash!"_

 _Killer Frost: "Savitar told me everything you'd say. You two are more alike than you realize."_

 _Golden Glider: "Savitar said you'd show up."_

 _Killer Frost: "That's how Savitar knows every move you're going to make."_

 _Green Arrow: "This was precise, as if Savitar was there."_

 _Savitar: "You took everything from me!" "I will take back everything." "My power. My freedom. Everything!"_

 _Future Barry: "He wanted me to slip deeper into the darkness."_

 _Killer Frost: "He's always one step ahead of you." "This is all history to him."_

 _Savitar: "I am the future, Flash!"_

Joe, Wally, and Jesse notice Barry staring into space.

"Barry, what's wrong?" asked Joe.

"I just, uh, I need some air," said Barry.

Barry gets up and runs out the door.

* * *

Dressed in his Flash suit, Barry runs to the outskirts of the neighborhood, just as the sky started to thunder.

"I'm here!" he yelled. "I'm here!"

A bolt of white lightning showed up. Standing before the Scarlet Speedster is the God of Speed himself, Savitar. Barry takes off his cowl and looks at his enemy with anger in his eyes.

"I know who you are," said Barry.

"It's about time," said Savitar.

"Yeah, it is," said Barry. "Everything with you is about time, isn't it? The past. The present. The future. You know all about it, right? You know me. You know my friends. You know my family. You know how to use that knowledge against us. We always thought we couldn't stop you because you know what will happen, but that's not all. You were there. You lived it. You remember... when you were me."

Savitar gets down on all fours and starts opening his suit. The man inside comes out and shows who he really is. Barry had already known who he was, but to see it in person was something else. The man in front of him looked exactly like him, because he is him. The only difference is that the right side of his face is scarred.

"Like I told you from the beginning... I am the future Flash," said Savitar.

Barry glares at his future self. He can barely believe what he is seeing right in front of him, but after everything that's happened, it all made sense.

 **And there you have it. Savitar's identity. The question now is, "Is he still a time remnant like in the show or is he really future Barry?" You'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out.**


	9. Looking in a Mirror

**While the "time remnant" story about Savitar made sense to me, I think it could've been better. Before I watched episode 3x21, I had a theory of which future Barry version is Savitar. You'll find out what I first thought in this chapter. Although, just to let you know, I altered my theory to fit the story.**

 **BTW in case some of you are confused, I had to do some rewriting to "Unforgivable" after Savitar's identity was revealed. To put is simply, Savitar's identity was never revealed to anyone except for Caitlin. (Read Chapters 7 and 26 of "Unforgivable" if you want to see for yourself)**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to Steve993, godspeed 251, jessicabiggs16, NeoTyson, kaylaevans43, chimera629, and two Guests for the recent reviews.**

 **To kaylaevans43: First of all, Central City has become like Star City 2046, "Disneyland" for villains. The cops are outnumbered and outgunned. Second, Jay Garrick is still in the Speed Force in my "Unforgivable" universe, so the Speed Force can't punish Barry if a speedster is already inside.**

 **To chimera629: Barry and Team Flash are now living in Keystone, just in case you didn't know. Central City has become Star City 2046, where criminals relish in the chaos.**

"It's like looking in a mirror," said Savitar, eying his past self. "Well, almost." He gestured to the scar on his face.

"You're not so scary without you armor," commented Barry.

"What can I say? I outgrew red," said Savitar.

"Who are you?" asked Barry. "Who are you, really?"

Savitar puts his hand on his suit's helmet before speaking. "Remember the first time you traveled to the night when mom died? The future Flash fighting the Reverse Flash. That was me."

Barry flashes back to the day he first traveled to the night of his mother's murder. His future self saw him and gestured him not to interfere.

"That was you?" asked Barry, surprised.

"Yeah," confirmed Savitar. "I told you not to interfere. You didn't. But then you went back again a year later and prevented her death."

"I just lost my dad then," said Barry.

"That doesn't excuse the fact that you destroyed my future," said Savitar.

"If the future where you and Reverse Flash came from was erased, then how are you still alive?" asked Barry.

"You came back to that night again to prevent Flashpoint from happening, but as you might have already known, things have changed despite your best efforts," continued Savitar. "That includes me. I wasn't erased from existence. I was preserved in the Speed Force. I escaped and returned to 2024, only to see that my future is not the same as it used to be. Iris. Joe. Harrison Wells. My parents. Everyone and everything I know, everyone I care about, everyone I love, all gone. Because of you!"

"So, you're a time remnant now?" guessed Barry.

"I'm not your future anymore, so yes," said Savitar angrily. "I knew that going back and changing my past will only lead to severe consequences, so I tried to adjust to my new future, but it didn't work out. Wally. Felicity. Sara. Snart. Lyla. They all shunned me because I wasn't the true Barry Allen. I was an aberration. Someone who needs to be disposed for the timeline to remain balanced. I guess Felicity decided not to mention that. Can't blame her, though."

"How did you become Savitar?" asked Barry.

"I was broken and alone," answered Savitar. The tone of his voice and the look on his face clearly shows how broken he really is. "I wanted the pain to end. That's when I realized the truth, Barry. God feels no pain. All I have to do was become one. And for that, I only need two things. One, for Crystal to die so that you are driven so far into the dark that I can be born."

"And the other?" asked Barry.

Savitar smirked. "It may sound ironic given who I'm talking to, but I'll keep that one to myself."

"So, that's why you want to kill Crystal? Because if she helps me conquer my grief, you wouldn't be born, isn't that it?" asked Barry. "But you're not my future. How is your fate still connected to mine?"

"I am still you, Barry," said Savitar. "Time remnant or not, alternate timeline or not, I am still you from the future."

"What happens if I kill myself?" asked Barry, vibrating his hand. "If I die, then you'll be wiped from existence."

"Cause and effect's a tricky thing," said Savitar, still smirking. "It didn't work so well for Eddie, didn't it? He shot himself in the chest, Thawne still kicking around. See, that's the thing about time travel, Barry. The more you do it, the less the rules apply to you."

"Then why do you need me?" asked Barry. "Based on everything I've heard, you don't need me."

"That's time travel for you, Barry. It's complicated. It works in ways beyond explanation," said Savitar. "My ascendancy is nearly at hand. When I have control of all time, it will be you who is abandoned and forgotten."

Savitar turns around to return to his suit. In the blink of an eye, Barry runs in front of Savitar and hits him with a electric-charged uppercut, knocking him down to the ground. Barry walks towards his future self and grabs him by the shirt, looking at him in the eye.

"You're not going anywhere. We're finishing this. You and me. Right here, right now," said Barry.

"I forgot to tell you. My suit's cooler than yours," said Savitar with a devious smile.

Suddenly, something grabs Barry from behind. It was Savitar's suit. It was moving, even without the wearer. The suit throws Barry away from Savitar. Savitar quickly returns to his suit. He started running in circles as fast as he can.

Barry puts his cowl back on and does the same, running around in a circle as fast as he can.

The two simultaneously unleash bolts of lightning at each other. Their bolts crossed each other, causing an explosion that knocks both of them back. The two speedsters immediately get back on their feet.

Barry throws a few speed punches, but there had little to no effect on the Speed God's armor. Savitar grabs Flash by the throat and then throws him towards a stop sign. Flash gets up and punches Savitar again, only to get pierced in the shoulder by one of his arm blades.

"I wanna kill you so badly, but you have to live a little while longer to see Crystal die," said Savitar.

Barry vibrates his hand and cuts off Savitar's blade. Savitar decided to run away, leaving Barry with a metal blade still piercing his shoulder.

* * *

Barry immediately runs to Crystal's house. To his horror, she wasn't there. The broken TV and the damaged furniture tell him that Savitar has been there.

Barry taps into his earpiece and says, "Cisco, we have a problem."

* * *

At Mercury Labs, Barry is immediately placed on the medical bay. Savitar's blade was still in his shoulder. He could barely move his arm because it hurts.

"Savitar took her. Savitar took her," said Barry over and over again.

"Calm down, Barry," said Wally.

Jesse uses an x-ray scanner to check the damage. "The blade didn't hit your organs, but it did shatter your clavicle."

"Hang in there, man. Hang in there," said Cisco, trying to relax Barry.

"We have to remove it now!" yelled Joe.

"We can't use medicine. His metabolism will burn through anything we give," said Jesse.

"Just do it," said Barry, still grunting in pain.

Joe and Wally put their hands on Barry's shoulders, trying to make sure he stays still. Jesse puts a rolled up piece of cloth in Barry's mouth to keep him from biting on his teeth. Jesse puts on some medical gloves and grabs hold of the blade.

"This is gonna hurt," said Jesse.

Barry nods at Jesse, telling her to do it.

Without further ado, Jesse rips the blade out of Barry's shoulder quickly. Barry screams in pain, muffled by cloth he was biting on.

* * *

A few hours later, Barry wakes up from his nap. His shoulder was patched up. It hurts, but his rapid healing helped ease the pain. He looks around and sees that everyone is still in the room with him.

"Good to see you awake," said Joe.

"I'm sorry to worry you," said Barry.

"I know you're just recovering, Bar, but I really need to ask you. What were you doing going after Savitar on your own?" asked Joe.

"I figured out who he is," answered Barry.

"Who is he?" asked H.R.

Barry hesitates for a moment, but after a few more seconds, he says what he wants to say. "He's me. Me from the future."

The rest of Team Flash were shocked and horrified by this revelation. Cisco, Wally, and Jesse's eyes widened. H.R. froze in place and didn't blink for a long time. Joe, overwhelmed, steps back towards the wall and puts his hand over his head, unable to comprehend this information.

* * *

In an abandoned warehouse back in Central City, Crystal lies down unconscious with her hands and legs tied. The moment she woke up, she started to struggle. She looks down at her hands and see that she is wearing some kind of hi-tech cuffs. Before she can wonder any further, an entity wearing a suit of armor appears before her. She immediately crawls back in fright.

The suit, for some reason, shuts down and slouches. Crystal was confused.

"Hey."

Crystal jumps with fright as she turned around to see who appears to be Barry Allen, except the right side of his face is scarred badly.

"Barry?" She muttered. "What is going on?"

"You must think me a fool, don't you?" replied Savitar.

Crystal looks back at the empty suit of armor before facing the man looking down on her.

"You're Savitar," guessed Crystal. "But how? Are you a clone or something? Time remnant?"

Savitar chuckles as he crouches down to look at Crystal at eye level.

"You're not fooling anyone here," said Savitar.

"What are you talking about?" asked Crystal, confused and scared.

"You may have Barry Allen and his team fooled into thinking you're just some lookalike with a PhD in Psychology and a penchant for nighttime vigilantism, but I know who you really are," said Savitar. "Caitlin Snow."

Crystal continues to look afraid and perplexed as she stared at the God of Speed.

 **I'd really appreciate it if you leave a reaction (via a review). I'd really love to know.**

 **So, as you may have read, Savitar is still a time remnant in this story, but his origin is different here. If you do leave a review, I'd really like to know what you think of that little rewrite.**


	10. Cause and Effect

**Remember 3x21? Good episode. Very fun, really. Well, you're getting a different version of it, starting from this chapter.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to Steve993, Superior Tennyson, Ella, NeoTyson, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, jessicabiggs16, and Guest for reviewing the previous chapter.**

Hours have past since Barry revealed to Team Flash who Savitar is. Everyone couldn't say a word because they find it hard to believe that someone as sweet and noble as Barry Allen would ever become someone as twisted and ruthless as Savitar.

"I don't understand," said Joe, still looking as shocked as he was a few hours ago. "How can Savitar be you?"

"He's not me," said Barry. "Well, not of this timeline."

"He's you, but all the worst parts of you," said Cisco. "It's like Star Trek when the transporter splits Kirk into good Kirk and bad Kirk." He looks at H.R. and says, "Please tell me you have Star Trek on your Earth."

"Voyager," replied H.R.

"I hate spin-offs," commented Cisco.

"You said you made Savitar," said Joe to Barry. "How?"

"That night when my mother was murdered. He was there," said Barry. "When I created Flashpoint, I erased his future. A future where mom and dad were alive, where the real Harrison Wells was his mentor, where he and Iris were married," explained Barry.

"Okay, but he's pinning that blame on himself, like, literally," said H.R., confused.

"If his future is erased, how does he still exist?" asked Wally.

"He's a time remnant," answered Barry. "He saw what's become of 2024. Those who survived rejected him because he was a duplicate. He got worse and now... here we are."

"Why did he take Crystal?" asked Jesse.

"He wants me to become like him. The only way he can do that is by getting rid of the one person who can help me," said Barry.

"So, you're saying that if Crystal lives, she helps you become your happy, cheery self again, and you never become Savitar, therefore erasing him from existence?" asked Cisco.

"No, he will still live even if I don't become him," said Barry.

"But you said he has your memories," said Cisco. "How can he still exist if you won't become him?"

"He's from an alternate timeline, but he's still me from the future. The only thing he inherits from me is my memories, nothing more," explained Barry.

"Man, time travel," said Cisco, feeling like an average person in science class.

"H.R., you need to tell Tracy to get started on the trap," said Barry.

"I'll try," said H.R.

"And be sure to tell her about... Savitar," said Barry.

"On it," said H.R., leaving the room.

"If Savitar is a version of Barry from the future and he remembers everything Barry does, how are we ever gonna come up with a plan to stop him?" wondered Wally.

Everyone in the room was silent. They had no answer to Wally's question. But Barry wasn't worried about how to defeat Savitar. He was worried about Crystal.

* * *

Back at the warehouse in Central City, Crystal was still sitting in a corner, tied up. Savitar, meanwhile, was trying to repair his suit. Apparently, the lightning strikes he and Barry threw at each other caused some damage to his armor.

"I don't understand. Why am I here?" asked Crystal. "I've done you no wrong."

"How long are you going to keep playing this game?" asked Savitar, smirking.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" yelled Crystal.

Savitar zooms towards Crystal, startling her. He leans closer and looks at her closely. The fear on Crystal's face was evident, but it didn't look like she was faking it. Savitar knew Caitlin Snow was not afraid of him, but the woman in front of him was.

"You shouldn't have used your powers on Lisa, or I wouldn't be almost 100% sure right now," said Savitar. "I know you are Caitlin Snow, but something's happened since I was gone. The world thinks your dead, but you're right here. Yet, you don't seem to know who you are. You hit your head or something?"

"You're insane," growled Crystal, glaring at her captor.

"Oh, there's that sharp tongue I remember," said Savitar with a grin.

"Caitlin Snow was a sick, deranged lost soul. I may not be a saint myself, but I cannot be her," said Crystal.

"Amnesia or not, it doesn't matter. You're gonna die, and I'm gonna make sure Barry watches," said Savitar. "No one but Caitlin Snow understands more how much Barry will suffer seeing someone he cares about taken away from him in front of his eyes."

"What did he ever do to you?" asked Crystal.

"He destroyed my future," answered Savitar. "So, I will destroy his. And your death is the perfect start. I could just do it right after I finish my suit, but history needs to happen the way it should be. October 23rd. That's when you die. That's when Barry Allen will hold your lifeless body in his arms. It's the day he starts his journey to become... me."

"He would never become you," said Crystal.

"But I am him," said Savitar. "He just needs a push. You're first. After that, maybe I'll go after Joe next. Maybe Wally. Or Jesse. Cisco. H.R. Oliver Queen. There's so many people I can take away from him."

"I'm gonna say this again. You're insane," said Crystal. "And I have the PhD to backup my claims."

"If I'm insane, it's only because Barry Allen destroyed my life," said Savitar. "Make yourself at home. You've got a long month before you're dead for real."

While Savitar continues repairing his suit, Crystal tried to struggle out of the ropes. She had just witnessed Barry Allen at his worst. She could not let the Barry Allen of now to become the monster who is holding her hostage.

* * *

It was almost midnight. Barry was instructed to stay in the medical bay until morning so his shoulder can heal. While everyone went home, Joe stayed with him. Given what his son just witnessed tonight, Joe thinks Barry could use some company. He sits down next to the bed and watches Barry stare into space.

"What was he like?" asked Joe, referring to Savitar.

"Broken," answered Barry.

"Losing everyone he cared about, being treated like he's just a fake... that must've been difficult for him," said Joe, starting to feel sympathy for the man behind the metal suit. "I still can't believe he's you."

"He said it was like looking in a mirror, and he's right," said Barry. "I saw it in his eyes. He was clearly in pain. I've seen that in myself."

"You're not him, Barry. You're too good to be him," said Joe.

"But it's in me," said Barry. "That power. That pain. That's where Savitar comes from. From loss. It's all my fault."

"You're doing it again, Barry," said Joe. "Blaming yourself for Flashpoint. All of us understand why you did it."

"That's no excuse for the lives I ruined," said Barry. "I thought I hurt Cisco and Caitlin the most, but what I did to them is only a fraction of what I did to Savitar."

"Barry, you have to stop blaming yourself for all of this," said Joe.

"That's what Crystal said," said Barry. "It's just hard to do it when I know that I'm the reason for everything that's happened the past two years. There's no getting around it."

"Savitar is just a lost, angry soul, but we can stop him," said Joe.

"But how?" asked Barry. "He calls himself a god, and he is one. Any speedster can be a god. It wouldn't take much. What am I gonna have to become to stop him?"

"You can't seriously be thinking about crossing the line, Bar," said Joe. "Your refusal to cross it is what makes you the Flash."

"Tell me, Joe. Do you think I can go on for the rest of my life without stumbling upon that one moment I have to cross the line?" questioned Barry.

Joe sighs, not knowing what else to say.

"Get some rest," said Joe. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight," said Barry as he watched Joe leave.

* * *

The next morning, Barry's shoulder was almost completely healed. He was allowed to get off of bed. Just before Barry can leave the medical bay, Cisco barges in with a smile on his face. He had an idea and started babbling on whether or not it's a good or bad idea, but he really wanted to show it to Barry.

In the main lab, there was a device attached to a chair. It almost looked like a hair dryer that a hairdresser uses at the salon.

"You want to give me a perm?" joked Barry.

"It's not for your hair, Steel Magnolia. It's for your brain," said Cisco. "I want to stop you from making new memories."

"What are you talking about?" asked Jesse.

"Savitar knows everything we're gonna do because he remembers doing it. He's a future Barry," reminded Cisco. "So, what if Barry can't remember what we're doing now?"

"You wanna mess with his brain?" guessed Joe, worried.

"Just a little bit," said Cisco, doing the "tiny bit" gesture. "It's a minimal procedure. It'll still be the same Barry you know and love, except he just won't be able to retain new information."

"And this is the part where you explain the science," guessed Joe.

Cisco points to the left side of his head and says, "This is the part of your brain that retains new information before sending it to the cortex to be stored forever, so what if we block that chain with a magnetic disruption?"

"Barry doesn't get new memories, Savitar can't figure what we're gonna do next... Genius, Francesco," said H.R., tapping his drumsticks together happily.

Cisco bows like a gentleman, flattered.

"Which means Savitar can't be two steps ahead of us anymore," said Wally with a smile.

"If this works, we'll put him one step behind," said Jesse, also smiling.

"Beautiful. Cause and effect," said Cisco, confident and proud.

Joe looks at Barry and asks, "What do you think, Bar? Do you wanna go through with this?"

Barry nods. "Let's do it."

"Wait, wasn't Caitlin the expert on brains?" asked Joe, now even more concerned about the attempted experiment.

"Well, she's... not here anymore," said Cisco sadly. "And our resident PhD, who also happens to be a brain expert, has been kidnapped by a madman from the future. So, this is something we'll have to do by ourselves."

"I trust you," said Barry.

Barry sits down on the chair. Cisco adjusts the disruptor and assures his friend that he won't feel a thing. This, however, doesn't stop everyone in the room from worrying.

"Okay, ready for zapping," said Cisco.

"Can we not call it zapping?" replied Joe, still worried about his son and the outcome of the test.

"Ready to... activate," said Cisco, trying to make Joe more comfortable. "In three... two... one..."

Cisco presses the activation switch on the tablet connected to the device. The blue lights of the magnetic disruptor lights up as it does its work with Barry's brain. Barry started seeing his most cherished memories. Those with his parents. Those with Iris. Those with his friends. Suddenly, they just fade away. After ten seconds, Cisco turns off the device.

Barry remained sitting on the chair, except he had a blank expression on his face.

"How are you feeling?" asked Jesse.

"I feel fine," said Barry.

Everyone in the room started to smile with relief.

"See, he's fine," said Cisco, feeling proud of himself once again.

However, Barry was acting strange. He was looking at everyone with the same blank look.

"Uh, B.A.?" asked H.R., wanting to know if Barry was okay.

"Bar?" asked Joe.

"Barry?" asked Wally.

"Uh, who's Barry?" asked Barry, confused.

Cisco puts his chin on his tablet and says, "Not fine."

Barry looks at everyone again. This time, he looked confused. "Who are all of you?"

* * *

Meanwhile, at the warehouse, Crystal found a broken pipe with a sharp point. She scoots her way there and uses the pipe to cut her ropes. After she frees her hands, she unties the ropes on her legs. She started to look for a way out quietly. When she turned a corner, she saw Savitar's suit. She quickly hid behind a wall, hoping he didn't see her.

She peers around the corner and looks at Savitar again. He was just kneeling. She didn't know if he was brooding, thinking, or both.

She wanted to leave him, but a small part of her was urging her to stay. She's seen how broken Savitar is and that was the same pain she saw in Barry's eyes. She felt the need to help him.

"Why am I like this?" she questioned herself.

She slowly walks towards Savitar.

"Um, hello?" she asked, knocking on his helmet.

Suddenly, Savitar grabs Crystal by the throat and holds her against the wall.

"What are you doing?" asked Crystal, trying to pry the metal limb off her neck.

"Who are you?!" yelled Savitar.

Crystal's eyebrows scrunched with confusion.

"What is wrong with you?" asked Crystal.

Savitar turns his head, staring into space. "Who am I?!"

* * *

At Mercury Labs...

"What's going on? Seriously, who are you guys?" asked a still-confused Barry.

"Barry, calm down," said Jesse.

"Who's Barry?" asked Barry again, still sounding confused.

"Cisco!" shouted Joe.

"Slight miscalculation," said Cisco, trying to reassure Joe.

"'Slight' wouldn't be the word I'd use," said Joe, raising his voice again.

"Where the hell am I? Is this a dentist's office?" asked Barry.

"No. No. This is Mercury Labs," said Wally.

"Mercu... Labs...? A laboratory?" asked Barry, getting off the chair. "Were you guys experimenting on me?"

"No one is ex... well, technically, yes, but it was consensual," replied Jesse.

"Not helping," said Wally.

Barry puts both of his hands on his head, anxious and confused. "Why can't I remember anything? Why can't I remember my name?"

"Your name is Barry," said Joe.

"My name's not Barry..." Barry reaches into his pocket and finds a wallet. He finds a driver's license. "My name is... Bartholomew Henry Allen. That is not a good name."

Jesse sighs. "Look, Barry..."

"Are you sure I don't go by 'Bart'?" asked Barry. "'Bart' feels more natural to me. Can we go with 'Bart'?"

"'Bart' is kinda cool," said Wally.

"Not helping," said Jesse, mimicking Wally's tone from earlier.

Cisco approaches Barry carefully and says, "Okay, let's just get you back in the chair..."

"No. No. No," said Barry, trying to distance himself from Cisco. "I'm not getting back on the chair. How do I know that you didn't kidnap me here to do some weird brain surgery on me? Or maybe you're like those criminals who trick people into hotel rooms to steal their kidneys?" He looks down at where his kidneys are. "Do I still have my kidneys?"

"We don't any kidneys," said H.R.

Wally and Jesse couldn't help but snicker. For some reason, they find Barry's babbling amusing. They stopped when Joe glares at them.

"Look, B.A., calm down," said H.R.

"B.A.?" questioned Barry.

Cisco, Wally, Jesse, and H.R. continue to approach Barry slowly with caution.

"Look, Barry, just relax and let us help you," said Cisco.

"Oh, no. No way," said Barry, backing towards a wall.

Cornered with no way out, Barry decides to make a run for it. He avoids every person in his way until he runs out of the lab. To everyone's surprise, he just Yeahlike a normal person.

"Okay, that's weird," said Jesse.

"Yeah, he's messed up in the head," said Wally.

"No, I meant he just ran out of here like a normal person," said Jesse. "Doesn't he know he has super speed?"

"Cisco, what happened?" Joe demanded an answer.

Cisco checks Barry's brain results after the experiment on his tablet.

"There is no sign of any permanent structural damage," said Cisco.

"Then why is he acting like he doesn't know us?" asked H.R.

"Amnesia," realized Cisco. "He has an amnesia. I've seen this before on TV. He has amnesia."

"And his speed?" wondered Wally.

"Maybe we didn't take account for Barry's increased neural velocity, due to his super speed?" replied Jesse.

"Well, he just bolted out of here without leaving a trail of lightning, so it's safe to say he doesn't remember he has powers," said H.R.

"Can't you just flip a switch? Undo it?" asked Joe.

"I'll get right on it," said Cisco.

"Meanwhile, we have an amnesiac on the loose," said Jesse.

"Don't worry. We'll get him back," said Wally.

"H.R., you need to check on Tracy," said Jesse. "We need that device finished ASAP."

Jesse and Wally left the lab to look for Barry.

* * *

After exiting Mercury Labs, Barry started running, not knowing where to go. He was feeling scared as he looked all around him. Needing to get away from everything, he calls for a cab. One cab stops in front of him. When he opened the door, he saw someone already sitting inside.

"Barry?" It was Crystal.

"I prefer 'Bart'," said Barry. "But who are you? How do you know me?"

Crystal's mouth hangs open, confused by Barry's response.

Wally and Jesse, running like regular people, catch up to Barry. Barry once again steps back, trying to stay away from the two speedsters.

"Crystal?" Jesse and Wally said at the same time, surprised to see her.

"Hi," greeted Crystal, waving.

"You escaped?" asked Wally.

"Yeah," answered Crystal. "What's going on with Barry?"

Barry, Wally, Jesse, and Crystal and looked at each other. Barry was scared, Wally and Jesse were still surprised to see Crystal, and Crystal was confused.

 **I'm gonna have to end this here. Don't worry. Barry's amnesiac adventure will continue in the next chapter.**


	11. Free of Pain

**Some have been leaving reviews about how Team Flash, especially, Barry should be suspicious of Crystal Frost 24/7. I can understand why. Although, it's getting pretty annoying up to this point, so I thought maybe I'd give them what they expect. Barry is amnesiac at this point, so it's just gonna be Team Flash being paranoid about Crystal from this chapter and forward.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to Guest(s), NeoTyson, Steve993, and godspeed 251 for reviewing the previous chapter.**

"So, Savitar lost his memory?" asked Jesse.

"Pretty much," answered Crystal.

"And he just let you go?" asked Wally.

"I just told him to let me go and stay where he is," said Crystal.

"This is great," said Cisco. "That means we can find him. Do you still remember where he is?"

"Yes," said Crystal. "A warehouse on 18th and Rose."

"Awesome," said Cisco, smiling as if he just won the science fair.

"In the meantime, we have an unconscious amnesiac in the medical bay we have to take care of," said Jesse.

"Did you really have to punch him?" Joe asked Jesse.

"He wouldn't stop panicking, so I had to," said Jesse.

"Why is he amnesiac again?" asked Crystal.

Cisco looked at everyone, asking them to explain for him, but neither of them said anything.

"We, uh, zapped Barry's brain to temporarily block his ability to store new memories," explained Cisco. "That way, Savitar can't find out what we're planning."

"But something went wrong," guessed Crystal, crossing her arms.

"We ended up wiping his entire brain by mistake," said Cisco, sounding like a busted child facing his angry mother.

"And what made you think it was a good idea to do this without a brain expert?" questioned Crystal.

"Hey, you were captured, so we had to do something," said Cisco. "You should be thanking us, you know. If we didn't do this, Savitar wouldn't have just let you go."

"He does have a point," said Wally.

"Thank you," said Crystal to Cisco sarcastically.

"You're really starting to sound a lot like her," said Jesse sharply.

Crystal sighs. "I know you're still cautious with me, but now is not the time."

Wally whispers to Jesse, "Definitely sounding a lot like her."

"I can hear you," said Crystal.

"Okay, so we got three items on the to-do list," said Cisco. "Find Savitar. Restore Barry's memories. And keeping him busy until we do."

"You sure we can't just keep him sedated until then?" asked Wally.

"Wally," scolded Joe.

"It's not only wrong but impossible," said Crystal. "Making a sedative powerful enough to keep Barry asleep for 24 hours is years beyond today's medicine and technology."

"So, someone's gonna have to take babysitting," said Cisco. "One, two, three, not it!"

"Not it!" shouted Wally.

"Not it!" shouted Jesse.

"Not it!" shouted Joe.

Everyone in the room looks at Crystal, the only person who hasn't shouted "not it".

"Fine. I'll look after him," said Crystal.

"Just be sure he's safe," said Joe.

"I will," promised Crystal.

"And make sure he stays out of trouble," said Wally.

"That's practically same thing as Joe said," said Crystal.

"And don't get any funny ideas," warned Jesse.

"Who do you think I am? Caitlin Snow?" accused Crystal.

Cisco raises his finger and opens his mouth, about to speak, until Crystal interrupts him.

"Don't answer that," she said.

Suddenly, someone ran out of the medical bay. It was Barry, awake.

"Probably didn't punch him hard enough," said Jesse.

"How many times are you people gonna kidnap me?" Barry was still scared and confused.

"Barry, calm down," said Crystal.

"It's Bart, thank you very much," interrupted Barry.

"Look... Bart... just relax," pleaded Crystal. "We're your friends, family." She looks at Joe and tells him, "Show him some pictures."

"Oh," said Joe, feeling stupid for not doing it before.

Joe takes out his phone and gives it Barry. He can see pictures of him and Joe. Pictures of him and Wally. Pictures of him and a girl about his age. He finds a picture of him with Joe and the girl, which gives him the thought that the girl is either a friend or Joe's daughter.

"Who is she?" asked Barry.

"Iris. My daughter," answered Joe.

"So, who am I?" asked Barry.

"You're my son," said Joe.

"Adopted, actually," said Wally.

"And how do we know each other?" Barry asked Wally.

"Oh, uh, I'm your brother," said Wally.

Confused, Barry checks his hand before shoving it in his pocket. A nervous smile shows up on Wally's face, feeling embarrassed for what he said to Barry.

Barry looks at Crystal and asks, "And you? How do I know you?"

"I'm... uh... your doctor," said Crystal. "Look, I'll explain everything later, but you have to calm down. No one here is going to hurt you."

Crystal slowly walks toward Barry. She reaches for his hand and holds it. Barry looks down at his hand before looking at Crystal. He was beginning to calm down. However, he wasn't doing anything else but look at Crystal for a long time.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" asked Crystal.

"Nothing, it's just that... something about you seems familiar," said Barry. "I don't know what it is. I just feel it."

"That's good. You're remembering," said Crystal. "Do you remember them?" Crystal gestured to the rest of Team Flash.

"No," said Barry.

Everyone hangs their heads in sadness.

"Well, don't worry. We're all going to help you remember," promised Crystal. "Until then, I'll be taking of you."

"Except for when you have to be here to actually help us," pointed out Cisco.

"Shut up, Cisco," said Crystal with snark.

"Why do I have a feeling Caitlin had a twin sister she never told me about?" joked Cisco.

"Who's Caitlin?" asked Barry.

"Best you don't remember just yet," replied Wally.

"Alright, I'm gonna let you people handle this. I'm gonna go fill in Cecile," said Joe, leaving the lab.

Crystal looks back at Barry, only to catch him staring at her again. Crystal raises an eyebrow to tell him that he's making her feel uncomfortable.

"Sorry," apologized Barry. "Hey, uh, do you guys know any good places around here? I'm hungry."

"Follow me," said Crystal.

Barry follows Crystal out of Mercury Labs.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of Mercury Labs, Tracy was working on the Speed Force trap. However, she was not too pleased about the progress.

"You don't want to work?" She said to a circular piece of metal she took out of the trap. "Well, I don't need you!"

Tracy throws the piece away, only for H.R. to accidentally step on it as he walked in.

H.R. scoops up the little piece with his drumstick like a donut and then puts it over his eye like a monocle, looking at the device, which looks like a big gun. "Am I to infer that, uh, you've hit a little speed bump in your quest to build a device to trap Savitar in the Speed Force? The... uh..."

"Accelerated matter microgenerator projectile," finished Tracy. Seeing H.R.'s confused face, she says, "I know it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue."

"No, it doesn't," said H.R. "How about we call this fancy device of yours..."

H.R. started drumming on the device, causing Tracy to worry he might damage it.

"Call it the..." continued H.R., still drumming.

"Speed Force Cannon?" suggested Tracy.

H.R. turns around and says, "Speed Force Bazooka."

"Speed Force Gun?" suggested Tracy.

H.R.'s face tells Tracy that it doesn't sound right.

"Speed Force Bazooka is better," agreed Tracy.

"Yeah," said H.R.

"But if the Speed Force Bazooka doesn't start working soon, we're gonna have to start calling it the Speed Force Epic Fail," complained Tracy. "Mercury Labs is technologically advanced, but their tech isn't sufficient enough."

"Would be nice to see S.T.A.R. Labs again. They got everything," said H.R.

"Even if the tech here is sufficient, it's still not enough," said Tracy.

"Why, what's the problem?" asked H.R.

"The accelerometer," said Tracy, holding up some sort of tube-like piece of tech. "It sucks a hell of a lot of air watts, which is measured..."

"Stop talking science," interrupted H.R., grabbing the tech from Tracy's hand. "You need to take a step back from the Speed Force Bazooka."

"But there's not time," said Tracy.

"There's always time," said H.R. "Because, sometimes, to move forward, you have to take a step back. Step back..."

Tracy looks at H.R. and literally takes a step backward.

"Now, shake a little," said H.R., shaking his shoulders. "Shake out those shoulders."

Tracy started shaking her shoulders like H.R.

H.R. grabs Tracy's shoulders and feels something. "Oh. Oh, my gosh. The tension in your shoulders... think of something that calms you."

Tracy closes her eyes as H.R. gently moves her back and forth.

"Coffee," muttered Tracy.

"Oh, yes," replied H.R.

"But not just any coffee," said Tracy. "Piping hot Indonesian dark roast with..."

"... Raspberry and coriander," said H.R. and Tracy at the same time.

The two froze when they heard each other talking at the same time. H.R. puts his hand over his heart. Tracy did the same almost simultaneously. They were feeling a connection and they couldn't deny it.

"I've never met another person who uses copious amount of caffeine to chill out," said Tracy.

"I've never met another person either," said H.R., walking closer towards Tracy.

H.R. and Tracy started leaning towards each other. Their lips were a couple inches away from each other. Suddenly, H.R. pulls back, much to Tracy's surprise and disappointment.

"I-I-I-I'm relaxed," said H.R., awkwardly, still thinking about the moment they almost shared. "Are you relaxed?"

Tracy nods yes.

"You, um... and I'll, uh... okay," H.R. leaves the lab, still feeling awkward.

As soon as H.R. left the lab, Tracy looks back at her device and smiles, her heart beating out of control at the thought of H.R.

* * *

At the cafe, Barry and Crystal sit down and have a cup of coffee, along with some cake.

"So, uh, how long have we known each other?" asked Barry.

"Just a couple of weeks," answered Crystal.

"Feels like I've known you forever," said Barry.

Crystal responds by giggling.

"What's so funny?" asked Barry.

"Nothing," said Crystal. "So, uh, remembering anything?"

"No," said Barry. "So, you said you're my doctor, right? A doctor for what?"

"Psychology," answered Crystal.

"Am I a crazy person?" asked Barry, suddenly feeling worried.

"No. No, you're not," said Crystal. "You're just... I don't know if I should tell you right now."

"Why not?" asked Barry.

"I want to take this slow," said Crystal. "You're clearly overwhelmed by everything around you, so I want to take it easy with you."

"Well, I know now that I can trust you," said Barry.

Crystal smiles. "Good."

"That guy with the long hair back at the lab said something about... Caitlin... twin sister or something," mentioned Barry. "Is that why I know you? Did I know your sister for a long time?"

"No, I don't have a sister," said Crystal. "But I am a lookalike. Caitlin's lookalike."

"Was she a friend?" asked Barry.

"She was practically family to you," answered Crystal.

"Well, where is Caitlin?" asked Barry curiously.

"You ask way too many questions," said Crystal.

"Well, I can't help it. I can't remember anything," said Barry.

"Let's just focus on getting you full. We'll continue this later," said Crystal.

And so, Barry continued to drink his coffee and eat his slice of cake.

* * *

Later that day, Barry and Crystal returned to Crystal's house.

"That's your home over there," said Crystal, pointing to the house next door.

"We're neighbors?" asked Barry. "Good thing. We don't have to go anywhere for a therapy session."

When they entered through the front door, Barry marvels at the interior decorating.

"Nice place," said Barry. "I see you like blue."

"So did Caitlin, at least according to you," said Crystal.

"You sure you're not this person's twin?" joked Barry.

Crystal chuckles. "Sometimes, I wish was."

Crystal shows Barry his Facebook profile on her comptuer, allowing him to learn more about himself. He started by reading what he did in high school.

"Science Club. Key Club. Astronomy Club. Yearbook. Anime Club," Barry read. "I definitely had quite the nerd thing going on, huh?"

"You're one of the smartest boys I've ever known," said Crystal.

"Did I have any friends in high school?" asked Barry.

"You had Iris," said Crystal. "She was your best friend."

"I find that hard to believe," said Barry.

"Why?" asked Crystal.

Barry shows Crystal a photo from high school. "I don't remember any of this, but even I can see how wrong 'that' look was." It was a photo of him with his hair combed down and a white shirt with ridiculous words on it.

Crystal covers her mouth as she started laughing.

"This is visual terrorism. I won't look at it anymore," said Barry, looking away from the computer.

Barry looks at Crystal and sees her smiling and staring at him.

"What?" asked Barry, still smiling.

"It's just... it's really nice to see you smiling," said Crystal.

"Why? Was my mental case making me... miserable?" asked Barry.

"I wouldn't call it a mental case, but... yeah," replied Crystal. "It's just strange seeing you like this. The Barry Allen I met was full of pain. Now, he's so light."

"Then should I really be getting my memories back?" asked Barry. "If I'm miserable with them, maybe I'm better off without them."

"We have to restore them, Barry. You're not the real you without them," said Crystal.

"What am I like without the pain?" asked Barry curiously.

"According to your friends, 'this' you," said Crystal, gesturing to all of her friend. "Well, except with your memories."

"What changed? Why did I go from happy to miserable?" asked Barry.

Knowing Barry won't stop asking questions, Crystal decided it's time to give him the answers he wants, even if it might hurt him.

* * *

Crystal takes Barry to his house next door.

"Neat," said Barry. "Not as nice as your place, though."

"Well, it wasn't meant to look like a museum," said Crystal.

Barry immediately notices the family pictures. He picks up of him with the woman called Iris.

"We must be really good friends," commented Barry.

"You were more than friends, actually," said Crystal. "You loved her."

"I fell in love with my adopted sister?" questioned Barry, raising an eyebrow, feeling uncomfortable.

"Legally, she wasn't your sister," said Crystal. "She and Joe just took you in."

"Where is she now?" asked Barry.

"She's, uh... she's gone," said Crystal, hanging her head and looking away.

Barry's smile drops as he looks back at the photo.

"What happened?" asked Barry.

"She was murdered," said Crystal. "That's why I'm here."

"How long has it been?" asked Barry.

"Seven months," answered Crystal.

"How bad was I?" asked Barry. "Please, Crystal, I need to know."

"You were... a mess," said Crystal truthfully. "You wouldn't talk to Joe, to Wally, to any of your friends. You just wanted to be alone and grieve."

"Then I met you. What happened then?" asked Barry.

"You were getting better," answered Crystal. "You started to smile again. You started talking to your friends. You even helped Joe get back together with his girlfriend."

"You must be good at your job," complimented Barry.

Crystal laughs a little. "That's what you said before."

"Then I must've meant it," said Barry, smiling. "Are you really sure I need my memories back? I can start over, be happy."

"But you won't be you," protested Crystal.

Barry walks closer towards Crystal and says, "I don't know why, but this feeling I have when I'm with you... it just feels right."

Crystal started blushing and covers a part of her face with her hair.

"What's the matter?" asked Barry.

"This is wrong," said Crystal.

"Why?" asked Barry.

"You still love Iris," said Crystal. "This relief isn't real. You just don't remember how much it hurts."

"Do I really have to live with the pain?" asked Barry. "I feel fine and having you by my side is helping. Isn't that good enough for you?"

Crystal was about to respond, until she noticed how close Barry was to her. The two started leaning towards each other until their lips touched. After one second, Barry retreats.

"I'm sorry," apologized Barry.

"No, it's okay," said Crystal.

Barry kisses Crystal again. The latter kisses back. Crystal takes off her jacket and puts her arms around Barry, deepening the kiss.

 **Hope this was good. Let me know what you think. I'd really appreciate it.**


	12. Barry's Speed

**We continue Barry's amnesiac adventures here. Hope you're enjoying it so far. I know I am.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to jessicabiggs16, DarkSuspense, Steve993, NeoTyson, and Guests for reviewing the previous chapter.**

Joe returns home after another day at work. What he sees first after entering the front door is a blue jacket on the floor. He recognized the jacket. It belonged to Crystal.

"Barry?" called Joe.

No response.

"Ms. Frost?"

No response gain.

Joe goes upstairs and heads to Barry's room. He knocks. After the knock, he heard some noises inside. One of them is something, or someone, hitting the floor.

"Bar?" Joe called again.

After a few more seconds, the door opens, allowing Joe to see Barry. He was wearing a red buttoned shirt, which was unbuttoned.

"Hey, uh... dad," greeted Barry. "Or adopted dad. Is it okay if I call you dad?"

"What's going on in there?" asked Joe, suspicious.

To Joe's surprise, Crystal emerges from the room. She looked nervous as she adjusted her hair.

"Detective," greeted Crystal. "Don't mind me. I was just leaving."

Joe was about to say something, but Crystal just proceeds walking downstairs. Joe looks at Barry with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Barry, confused.

"You and me are gonna talk about this right now," said Joe.

"I would love to, but I'm really tired," lied Barry.

"Downstairs. Right now," ordered Joe.

"O-kay," said Barry nervously.

Barry was about to grab something else from his room when, all of a sudden, he runs at super speed and crashes into his cabinet. Joe was shocked to see this.

"What just happened?" asked Barry, frightened.

Barry looks at his hand. It was vibrating.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the warehouse in Central City, Kid Flash and Jesse Quick show up and look for Savitar.

"This is the place, alright," said Kid Flash.

"Keep your voice down," said Jesse Quick softly. "We don't want him to know we're here."

"He doesn't remember who he is. I'm sure he'll come quietly if we ask him politely," said Kid Flash.

"I hope so," said Jesse Quick.

The two speedsters tread lightly as they look for a metal suit of armor. After just a few seconds of searching, they found who they were looking for. Kneeling on one knee in the middle of the room is Savitar.

"Let me handle this," said Kid Flash. "Uh, hello?"

Savitar didn't move.

"Hey, uh, we're here to take you home," said Kid Flash. "If you'll just come quietly, please."

Savitar still didn't move.

"Okay, this is taking too long," said Jesse Quick.

Jesse Quick walks towards Savitar. Once she put her hand on his helmet, Savitar finally moved. He steps back in super speed, keeping his distance away from the female speedster.

"Who are you?!" asked Savitar.

"We're superheroes," said Kid Flash with a smile. "And we're here to bring you home."

"Where is home?!" asked Savitar. "I don't understand this."

"It's okay. We can help you," said Kid Flash.

"I'm having visions. Images in my head. Of... of.. this woman," said Savitar, putting his hands on his head, feeling as if he has a headache. "Crystal... I feel like I'm with her, but I'm not there at all. What is happening?"

Jesse Quick whispers to Kid Flash. "He must be getting Barry's memories."

"Then let's get him out of here before he remembers how to run," whispered Kid Flash.

Suddenly, electricity started surging through Savitar's armor.

"What is this power?" asked Savitar, sounding afraid.

In the blink of an eye, Savitar runs out of the warehouse in super speed. Kid Flash and Jesse Quick chase him through the streets. However, Kid Flash started slowing down until he trips himself and crashes into a mailbox. Jesse Quick had to stop to check on her boyfriend.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"My powers. They're gone," said Kid Flash.

Jesse Quick's eyes widened with shock.

* * *

The next day, Joe and Crystal take Barry back to Mercury Labs so they can have him examined since he just realized he has super speed. Barry couldn't stop marveling at what he could do.

"These powers are so cool. I can literally feel electricity coursing through my body," said Barry, smiling. "I mean, is it always like this? This is amazing."

"Okay, calm down, Bar," said Joe. "Talk to Cisco and let him check on you."

"Okay," said Barry.

While Barry walks into the lab, Joe decides to have a talk with Crystal. The psychologist felt uneasy when Joe shot her with the look that a cop gives a juvenile delinquent.

"That wasn't funny," he said.

"What isn't?" asked Crystal.

"Last night," said Joe.

"Oh, that." Crystal rubs the back of her hair, embarrassed at the memory.

"Listen to me," said Joe, looking at Crystal directly in the eye. "Barry just lost the woman he loved. Right now, he doesn't even remember who he is. I don't need you taking advantage him. Do you understand me?"

"Detective, I assure you, what happened last night was not my intent," said Crystal.

"So, you're saying it was Barry's?" accused Joe.

"It wasn't his intent either," said Crystal.

"I'm warning you, young lady. Do anything like that again, you're gonna be in serious legal trouble," warned Joe.

"I'm sorry, Detective," said Crystal. "But if anyone is taking advantage of something, it's Barry with his amnesia. He doesn't want them back. He wants to be free of the pain."

"And what did you say?" asked Joe.

"I didn't approve of it," said Crystal. "I told him that he can't be his true self without his memories. That his relief from his pain isn't real."

"And yet, you still took him to his room," said Joe.

"I promise. It will never happen again," said Crystal.

"It better not," said Joe very seriously.

* * *

"What do you mean you lost your powers?" Joe asked Wally, who just told him what happened the previous night.

"We were running after Savitar and then my powers just disappeared," said Wally.

"Cause and effect," said Crystal.

"What do you mean?" asked Joe.

"You said that Savitar gave Wally his powers, right?" asked Crystal.

"Yeah," said Cisco.

Crystal continues. "So, if Savitar has no memory of giving Wally powers..."

"He never got them in the first place," realized Cisco.

"I have no idea what's going on here," said Barry, feeling hopelessly confused.

"Why don't you wait in the medical bay?" suggested Joe.

"Okay," said Barry.

As soon as Barry left the room, Team Flash continues to discuss.

"So, Cisco, how are we doing with the device?" asked Crystal.

"So far, so good," said Cisco. "I just need your brain expertise to help me finish it."

"And Barry?" asked Jesse.

"Just teach him how to use his powers," said Crystal. "We don't want him accidentally revealing himself to the public."

"No problem," said Wally.

* * *

At the lab, Cisco and Crystal continued working on a way to restore Barry's memories.

"Barry's been acting pretty awkward around you lately," said Cisco.

"I'm pretty sure he'd act like that around any pretty girl," said Crystal.

"It's almost not fair. He feels something when he sees you but not his best friend," said Cisco.

"I thought Caitlin was his best friend as well," said Crystal.

"Tell that to Iris West," replied Cisco sadly and sarcastically.

"How many times do we have to talk about this, Mr. Ramon?" complained Crystal.

"Sorry. It's just hard looking at you," apologized Cisco.

"Yesterday, you and your friends expressed your paranoia with no restraint," said Crystal. "Is it because Barry has amnesia and he couldn't say anything?"

"No," lied Cisco.

Crystal glares at Cisco.

"Okay, maybe," admitted Cisco. "It's just that he trusts you too easily. I thought he, out of all of us, would be most affected seeing you."

"What you guys are going through with me, it reminds you of Earth-2 Harrison Wells, right?" asked Crystal.

"In more ways than one," answered Cisco.

"Barry trusted him immediately," said Crystal.

"Okay, point you," said Cisco, feeling defeated.

"He wasn't the Harrison Wells who killed his mother. I'm not the woman who killed his girlfriend," said Crystal.

"Still, doesn't help when you look like her," said Cisco.

"This is getting tiresome," said Crystal, annoyed. "Let me guess. Does that sound like Caitlin?"

"You got her sarcasm and bite, that's for sure," said Cisco.

Crystal sighs. "Hand me the girard processor. It'll help me prime his neocortical and medial frontal lobes."

Cisco hands Crystal the device she asked for.

"Bet you wish it was Caitlin you were working with," said Crystal, noticing a particular look on Cisco's face.

"Every day," replied Cisco.

* * *

H.R. returns to the lab where Tracy was working on the trap for Savitar. However, he couldn't see her.

"Hi," greeted Tracy, popping up from under a table, holding a circuit board in her hands.

H.R. jumped with a little fright, surprised by Tracy's greeting.

"I'm still here," said Tracy. "I'm sorry, I..."

H.R. silences Tracy by putting up his finger. "We have to talk about the elephant in the room. I-I-I have a job to do. We have to build that device! We have to focus on the task at hand. You understand what I'm saying?"

"I totally understand," replied Tracy.

H.R. continues. "From here on out, whenever I look into your azure eyes..."

Tracy walks closer towards H.R. and smiles. She wanted to get close to him as physically as possible. H.R. begins to stumble in his words as he stared at her eyes.

"... flecked with gray, like a... summer rainstorm... coming to kiss my lips..." H.R. tried to get himself to focus, almost feeling lost staring at Tracy's happy face. "The only thing I'm gonna be thinking about is how I can best to inspire that beautiful... sexy... brain..."

Tracy puts both her hands on H.R.'s face. They both leaned in towards each other. This time, they kissed. The kiss was full of so much passion, H.R. didn't even bother retreating this time.

"Sparks," said H.R., feeling the "sparks" from the kiss.

"Sparks," muttered Tracy.

"You feel them too?" asked H.R.

"No," replied Tracy.

"No?" H.R. felt disappointed.

"No, I mean yes, obviously," said Tracy awkwardly, correcting herself. "Sparks... traveling between two parallel wires. A modified high-voltage climbing arc."

Tracy goes to the computer to continue her work. H.R. smiles, feeling proud of himself once again for inspiring Tracy.

"I guess my work here is done," said H.R. proudly.

While H.R. walks out of the lab, Tracy smiles, still thinking about the kiss they shared.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside Keystone City, Wally and Jesse, dressed as Kid Flash and Jesse Quick respectively, train Barry how to run. Using her super speed, Jesse Quick run in circles around the dirt as fast as she can, causing her feet to burn through the dirt. She stopped after she was finished making a track for Barry. After running in circles around the dirt track for a couple of minutes, Barry stops in front of the two young adults. He almost falls over from the breaking, but he remained standing.

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "Guys, I still can't believe I have these powers. They're amazing. I mean, I think I can be a superhero."

Wally and Jesse giggled to each other.

"Is it cool if I run some more?" asked Barry.

"Just don't wonder off," said Wally.

Barry continues running around the dirt track.

"It's really nice seeing him happy," said Wally. "Feels like it's been a lifetime since we've seen him like this."

"Almost makes me wish we could keep him like this," said Jesse.

"But we both know we can't," said Wally.

"I know," said Jesse. "It's just... seeing him like this, it's a big reason why I look up to him. He's always so upbeat and positive no matter what."

"I know how you feel," said Wally. "He's been so down in the dumps because of what happened to Iris, I was beginning to doubt if he'll ever recover."

"Well, before now, he was starting to feel better," said Jesse.

"Thank Crystal for that," said Wally.

"I just can't believe this," said Jesse.

"Believe me, it's hard to resist the urge to kill her because of who she looks like, but we both have to accept that it's not Caitlin," said Wally.

"It's not gonna be easy," said Jesse.

"I know," said Wally.

"I'm really glad to have you in my life, Wally," said Jesse. "I'm always afraid about what I would become if you weren't a part of my world."

"I'm always thinking the same thing about you," said Wally. "We could've been the worst versions of ourselves. Fighting criminals with no restraint. The danger of crossing the line, all because Caitlin took a lot from us."

"But being together, it's keeping us in the light," said Jesse.

Wally smiles at Jesse. She smiles back at him. The two leaned in for a brief kiss.

 **I wish I can continue, but I still need more time to plan for the end of Barry's amnesiac adventure. I hope there was something to enjoy about this chapter. Leave a review and let me know, please.**


	13. All Is Revealed

**This is where Barry's amnesiac adventure ends. It's been fun writing it, really. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to Steve993, Superior Tennyson, DarkSuspense, NeoTyson, jessicabiggs16, and Guests for reviewing the previous chapter.**

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **About what happened with Barry and Crystal in the previous chapter, I have a reason for that. I didn't write it because I wanted to. I have a very good reason for writing that part. I'm afraid you're gonna have to wait to find out what it is.**

 **I take my stories very seriously and I don't just make a boy and a girl jump to s*x without good reasons. Also, "rape" is a word I would never associate in my stories. It's too adult. I'm a PG-13 kind of writer.**

* * *

Wally and Jesse take Barry back to Mercury Labs' basement laboratory, where they show him a red suit with a yellow lightning bolt on the chest. They told him that it belonged to him.

"So, I am a superhero?" asked Barry.

"Yeah. The best," said Wally.

"You're the Flash," said Jesse.

"You sure 'The Streak' isn't a better name?" asked Barry.

Wally and Jesse once again giggled with each other.

"What?" asked Barry.

"According to Iris, you hated that name," said Wally.

Cisco, Joe, and Crystal arrive at the lab. They all looked worried.

"We have a situation," said Cisco.

Cisco shows a live news report about a burning office building.

"What happened?" asked Jesse.

"According to the security cameras, Lucius Coolidge," answered Cisco. "According to police records, he's an arsonist. He burns buildings just for the fun of it. Basically, he's Keystone's version of Heat Wave."

"I gotta get there," said Jesse.

"You're not going alone," said Barry.

"But Barry, you don't remember how to use your powers," said Crystal.

"I can handle it on my own," said Jesse.

"I can't let you," said Barry.

The looks on everyone's faces changed as they looked at Barry.

"What?" asked Barry.

"You know who you're sounding right now? You sound like yourself," said Joe.

"There's always a part of you who wants to help others," said Wally, smiling.

"But still, you can't just run out there blind," said Joe.

"You guys told me that I'm a superhero. The best, even. Memories or not, I can't just stand by and let innocent people die knowing I can prevent it," said Barry.

"Alright, let's go," agreed Jesse.

Barry and Jesse run out of the lab. A few seconds later, Barry returned.

"I, uh, forgot the suit," said Barry, feeling stupid for forgetting.

Barry puts on his suit and runs back outside, following Jesse Quick.

* * *

Authorities and firemen have arrived at the burning office building. Jesse Quick made it there as fast as she could. Before she could proceed, she looks back to see if Flash was still following her. Flash runs towards her, only to crash into a police car.

"Are you okay?" asked Jesse Quick.

"Yeah, I'm good," said Flash, trying to recover from the pain. "Stopping's hard."

 _"You might wanna move fast, Barry," said Cisco. "There are hundreds of people inside. It's only a matter of time until the building comes down."_

"How do we save everyone inside?" asked Flash.

"We run up and use our speed to put out the fires," said Jesse Quick.

"I barely got here myself. How am I supposed to run up walls?" replied Flash, doubting himself.

"I'll handle it," said Jesse Quick.

Jesse Quick started running up the building, trying to extinguish the fire. However, the process was going slower than expected.

"Guys, I don't think I can put of these fires myself," said Jesse Quick.

...

"There's gotta be something we can do," said Wally.

"There is something we can do," said Crystal. "Jump start his brain."

Crystal gestures to the device he and Cisco made in the other lab. It's a little box with two antennas, small dials, and a big silver button in the middle.

"We have not done a test run," said Cisco.

"There's not time for a test run," argued Crystal.

"What is that thing?" asked Joe, pointing at the device.

"This can send electrical charges through the transmitters in his suit and, theoretically, should jolt his memory," answered Cisco.

 _"You want to electroshock his brain?" questioned Jesse Quick through her comm-link._

"Won't that fry it even more?" asked Wally worriedly.

"If we don't give it a shot, all those people are gonna die," said Crystal.

"When we were building the particle accelerator, Caitlin said something that never got out of my head. 'Life's a game of chance'," said Cisco, agreeing to give the device a try. He tells Barry, "Okay, Barry, you're gonna feel something. It might hurt. It might sting. It might suck. Probably all three."

 _"What?!" exclaimed Flash, a little scared about what's about to happen._

"Okay, here we go," said Cisco, preparing to activate the device.

Cisco turns the dials and pushes the big button.

...

Flash holds his head with both his hands and screams in pain as he felt thousands of bolts shock his brain. Team Flash could hear his screams through the comm-link. After a few seconds, the pain stopped.

 _"Barry, you okay?" asked Cisco, worried about his friend's well-being._

"I still don't remember," said Flash, still feeling stunned from the zapping.

 _"Why didn't it work?" asked Wally._

 _"We kick-started his temporal lobe. Now, he just needs to access it," said Crystal._

 _"Gas is in the tank. We just need to turn on the ignition," added Cisco._

 _"We need a visceral memory to spark his brain," said Crystal._

"You may want to figure something out and fast!" yelled Jesse Quick, still running around the building. "I'm not getting anything done here!"

...

Crystal was thinking of something. She decided not to ponder on it any longer and pushes the comm-link button.

"Barry, I need you to listen to me," she said.

 _"I'm all ears," said Flash._

"I told you that Iris was murdered, but I didn't tell you everything," said Crystal. "Caitlin Snow... Killer Frost... she killed her right in front of you. You were there in her final moments. But that's not the worst of it. Nora Allen. Henry Allen. Patty Spivot. Harrison Wells. Carla Tannhauser. Mick Rory. They were all part of your lives and Caitlin took them from you. I wish I didn't have to tell you, but I have to remind you why you can't just live your life without your memories."

 _"What do you mean?" asked Flash._

"I may not have known for as long as the people in this room, but I know you enough to know the tragedies you've suffered through, the dark memories you can never forget, they're what shape you into the man who wears that suit," said Crystal, tears building up in her eyes. "A part of me wishes you can be free of the pain, but remember this. Your life is not all pain and loss. Your life is also full of happiness. Friends. Family. Being the Flash. Please, Barry. I need you to remember."

...

Flash was moved by Crystal's words. Suddenly, he felt a funny feeling in his brain. He closes his eyes and sees a series of images. His mother. Iris. Caitlin. All the good he's done as the Flash. He was starting to remember it all. He even remembers the words his father once said to him the night his mother was murdered.

 _"Run, Barry, run!"_

Flash opens his eyes and lets his father's words replay in his head. Electricity surged through his eyes as he took a deep breath. His attention was caught by shattering glass from the office building. Using his super speed, he dodges the falling shards.

 _"Barry?" called Crystal._

"I remember," he said.

...

In an abandoned warehouse on the other side of Keystone, Savitar gets off his knees as a bunch of images flashed through his head.

"I remember," he said.

...

"I remember everything," said Flash.

...

"I remember everything," said Savitar.

Savitar scratches the walls with his claws as he prepares to make a move.

...

"Now for this fire," said Flash, preparing himself.

Flash runs up the building and started running around it, trying to put the flames out. He constantly passes by Jesse Quick, who repeatedly shoots a happy look at him. She was clearly glad to see him running by her side.

 _"Who says you guys get to have all the fun," said Wally._

Flash and Jesse Quick turn their heads and see Wally, dressed as Kid Flash. He was running around the building, putting the fires out. After the three speedsters were done extinguishing all the fires, they head inside and capture Lucius Coolidge, cuffing him, taking his flame thrower away from him, and leaving him on the street.

"Looks like you remembered how to save the day," said Kid Flash to Flash.

"Good to be back," said Flash with a smile.

* * *

Back at Mercury Labs, Team Flash were testing Barry to see if he really remembers everything.

"Your mother's middle name?" asked Joe.

"Thompson," answered Barry.

"CODIS is an acronym for what?" asked Crystal.

"Combined DNA Index System," answered Barry.

"What was my metahuman name?" asked Cisco.

"Vibe," answered Barry.

"So, you got your memories back," said Joe, glad. "Now we can focus our attention on stopping Savitar."

* * *

Crystal was about to leave for the Keystone Lincoln Hospital, until a certain someone came to see her.

"Hey," greeted Barry.

"Hey," greeted Crystal.

"Leaving for work?" guessed Barry.

"I have to meet up with a poor widow, so I'm afraid I can't stay here and celebrate," said Crystal.

"Hey, uh... I remember last night," said Barry.

Crystal smiles nervously as she looks away from the former CSI.

"I kinda wish you didn't," said Crystal.

"That's okay," said Barry. "I remember it correctly. It wasn't you or me. It was both of us. We let things get out of hand. But if it makes you feel any better, I didn't mind."

"And if it makes you feel any better, I didn't mind either," said Crystal.

"So, uh, I was wondering..." said Barry, scratching the back of his head, sounding nervous. "... maybe you want to... get some dinner... maybe not tonight, but maybe some other time, perhaps..."

"Are you... asking me out?" asked Crystal.

"I think I am," said Barry.

"But, Barry, what about Iris?" asked Crystal.

"Iris is gone," said Barry with sadness. "And I'm gonna miss her for the rest of my life. But you taught me that I can't dwell on her death forever. I have to move forward, and, well... I wanna move forward with you."

Crystal tilts her head a little to the right, wearing a face of uncertainty. "Are you sure this isn't because I look like someone you used to know?"

"I think we both know I've learned to see past that," said Barry.

"Are you sure you want to go down this road, Mr. Allen?" asked Crystal.

"Depends on your answer, Dr. Frost," replied Barry.

Crystal thinks about it. She feels strange about being asked out by a patient, but she knows that Barry Allen is more than just her patient. He was her friend.

"Well, if you really want to, maybe we can..."

Suddenly, a streak of white lightning zooms into the room and takes Crystal away. Barry knows who it was.

"Savitar," he said with fright.

* * *

Barry puts on his Flash suit and chases Savitar throughout Keystone. He follows him to the Suburbs until the God of Speed stopped at Crystal's house.

"Let her go!" yelled Flash.

"If you insist," said Savitar.

Savitar throws Crystal towards the wall. She was still conscious, but her hip was hurting from the crash.

"Don't worry, Flash. I'm not here to kill her," said Savitar.

"Then what are we doing here?" asked Flash.

Savitar quickly snatches Flash and holds him against the ceiling. He readies his arm blade, preparing to stab the Flash.

"I thought you needed me alive," said Flash.

"True, but then I stopped to think. Your death will not affect my existence," said Savitar. "And since you're in my way, I might as well deal with you now."

Savitar swings his arm back, preparing to run his blade through his past self. Unexpectedly, Savitar gets hit by a beam of ice, causing him to crash on the TV. Flash falls down to the floor and turns his head, looking at Crystal. There was ice on her hand. His eyes shot wide open at the sight of this. Crystal can see how shocked he is.

The two turned around when they heard Savitar laughing.

"At last, all is revealed," said Savitar.

Savitar runs out of the house. All Flash can do was stare at Crystal, feeling a mix of fear and confusion inside him.

 **Uh-oh! Flash knows about Crystal's ice powers. What will happen? You'll find out in the next chapter.**

 **Leave a review and let me know your reaction. I'd appreciate it a lot.**


	14. Who is Crystal Frost?

**Remember the cliffhanger from the previous chapter? Well, you're about to get some answers in this chapter. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to Steve993, jessicabiggs16, NeoTyson, Master Skywalker 121, CurlyGirl27, godspeed 251, and Guests for reviewing the previous chapter.**

Barry storms back to his house with Crystal following him. She tried to stop him so they can talk, but the anger Barry is feeling right now was keeping him from letting her get close.

"Look, Barry, I can explain," said Crystal.

"That you've been playing me this whole time?" asked Barry.

"I'm not playing you," said Crystal.

Barry turns around and looks at Crystal. "Really? Because it all seems to be coming together. You moving next door to me. Your love for the color blue. Not to mention your expertise in not just psychology but biochemistry. And the ice powers... All this time, I thought that you were helping me move past what Caitlin did to me, only to find out that she's been in front of me this whole time."

"You think that I am Caitlin Snow?" asked Crystal.

"Tell me. Are you?" replied Barry.

"I'm not," said Crystal.

"Stop lying to me," said Barry.

"I'm not lying to you," said Crystal.

"Then how do you explain what just happened back there?" asked Barry, referring to what occurred recently at Crystal's house.

"Okay, yes, I have ice powers, but I had a good reason not to tell you," said Crystal. "When I read about Caitlin Snow, I thought that telling you about my powers would make you feel worse."

"If you're not Caitlin Snow, then tell me. Where did you get these powers?" asked Barry.

"I... I... I don't know," said Crystal, trying to remember but couldn't.

"You don't know or you don't want to tell me?" accused Barry.

"Barry, I swear, I don't know why I have these powers," said Crystal.

"Do you seriously think I'm going to keep buying this act?" questioned Barry, raising his voice.

"Are you seriously not going to give me the benefit of the doubt?" replied Crystal.

"Then start telling the truth," said Barry.

"And how am I sure you'll take any word I say seriously?" questioned Crystal.

"Just stick to the truth," said Barry.

Crystal stares at the floor as she thinks about what she should say first.

"I need a question first," said Crystal.

"Where did you get the name 'Crystal Frost'?" asked Barry.

Crystal looks away from Barry for a few seconds before opening her mouth. "It's a false identity."

"So, who are you really?" asked Barry.

"I don't know," said Crystal again.

"Try again," said Barry.

Crystal pauses for a long time. She slowly paces across the room and continues. "Last month, I woke up in some abandoned warehouse. My head hurts. I couldn't remember anything. I found a bunch of files on a large table. School records. Medical records. A PhD in Psychology. All of them written with the name, 'Crystal Frost'. I did some digging. They were falsified data."

"What does this have to do with you not remembering anything?" asked Barry. "Are you saying you have... amnesia?"

"Yeah, I am," said Crystal.

"So, what, you hit your head or something?" asked Barry.

"That's what Savitar asked me," said Crystal. "And the answer is no. I did some checkups on myself. No sign of head trauma or damaged brain parts."

"Then why do you have amnesia?" asked Barry.

"I'm not sure, but... the fake files weren't the only things I found," said Crystal.

* * *

Crystal takes Barry back to her house and into her secret room in her walk-in closet. She takes out a little case and opens it. Barry sees a little device that appears to come from a sci-fi movie, given its design and technological components.

"What is it?" asked Barry.

"I don't know," said Crystal. "I never turned it on because I was scared. I just woke up without any memory of who I am or where I am. However, I did scan this thing and I found my fingerprints on it. They were recent, at least, from the time I scanned them."

"So, you're saying this thing is responsible for your amnesia?" asked Barry.

"Possibly," said Crystal.

"Well, maybe now is the time to turn it on," said Barry.

Barry picks up the device.

"How do I turn this thing on?" asked Barry.

"The big blue button in the middle. What else?" said Crystal snidely.

Barry pushes the button in the center of the device. The device lights up and projects a holographic screen in front of Barry's eyes.

"Fascinating," Crystal reacted.

Barry steps out of the closet to get some light. He reads the data on the screen. Crystal can see that he was both fascinated and bothered by what he is reading.

"So, what is it?" asked Crystal.

"These are... the events of Caitlin's life," said Barry, reading the data. "The day of the first time she met Ronnie. The day she and I went to a bar together. The day Iris died. I think these are her memories."

"So, this device can store memories?" asked Crystal.

"It appears so," said Barry. "How else wouldn't you be able to remember anything?"

"So, I am... Caitlin Snow?" asked Crystal.

Barry turns off the device and looks at Crystal. "Well, you weren't lying when you said you didn't remember anything, but that doesn't change the fact your are, indeed, Caitlin."

"I don't understand," said Crystal.

"You want to know what I think?" replied Barry. "I think Caitlin purposely erased her own memories so she can start fresh. A new name. A new life. Why else would she do all this?"

"Barry, even if I am Caitlin, I never meant you any harm," said Crystal. "All I wanted was to help you."

"This doesn't change anything," said Barry.

Barry returns the device to Crystal before walking out the room. Crystal follows him again.

"Barry, please," she pleaded. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're not," said Barry, stopping and turning around.

Once again, Barry looks at Crystal with a mixture of animosity and confusion on his face.

"You don't remember being friends with me. You don't remember the times we spent together. You don't remember all the bad things you've done as Killer Frost. You don't remember killing Iris," said Barry, his voice sounding angrier within each passing second. "You don't remember how you feel about everything you did. I don't know if Caitlin would be relishing those memories or feeling guilty about them, but saying I'm sorry... it's an empty apology, sympathy or no sympathy."

"But the fact that I don't remember what I did to you and the fact that I wanted to help you heal, shouldn't that mean something?" asked Crystal.

"You think I can just forget about everything you did to me because you don't remember them?" questioned Barry. "The person who's been trying to help me cope with my grief is the same person who just happens to be the very reason for my grief. I understand she wanted to help, but she was never real. She was just a mask, covering the face of someone who wanted to escape her old life. I don't know if Caitlin... you... wanted a fresh start or not, but erasing your memories, it's not gonna fix what's broken between us."

"Barry, I get that you feel betrayed," said Crystal. "But, please, just let me..."

"I don't just feel betrayed," said Barry. "I feel like an idiot. I thought Crystal Frost was just a lookalike, and I let her into my life because the fact that she looked like Caitlin Snow made me believe that she can help me move on. As it turns out, Crystal Frost and Caitlin Snow are one and the same, and after my history with friends who pretend to be someone they're not, I feel stupid for not seeing it before now."

Barry hangs his head as tears begin to fill up his eyes.

"And to think, I was just beginning to realize that I'm falling in love with you," said Barry. "Now, I realize that I'm falling in love with someone who doesn't even exist."

"Barry, please, don't leave," begged Crystal. "I can make this right. I'll do anything you want. Just tell me what you want me to do."

Barry was silent for a while. He then spoke. "Get out of my life."

Barry turns around and exits the house, leaving Crystal on the verge of breaking into tears.

* * *

Barry returns to his house and sits on the stairs. He couldn't believe what he had just discovered tonight. Crystal Frost was Caitlin Snow all along and he didn't see it. Thinking about it, he realizes that he didn't want to see because of his grief. He couldn't accept the possibility the Caitlin could be alive and allowed himself to believe that Crystal Frost is just a lookalike. He let himself get closer to her, befriend her, fall in love with her. He thought he was finally moving on, but right now, all the pain that he's been trying to heal is returning. The memory of losing Iris and the fact that her killer still lives and breathes, it was all too much for him. He chose not to fight the tears as they streamed down his face.

Crystal was lying down on her bed with the memory-storing device in her hands. She couldn't understand what had just happened. She didn't want to believe the she was the person who caused Barry's pain, but the evidence was too clear to ignore. She is Caitlin Snow. She is the person who was responsible for the 967 deaths in the Star City earthquake. She is the person who destroyed almost all of Central City and caused the deaths of 2004 people. She is the person who killed the woman Barry loves. She begins to question why she would purposely allow herself to believe that erasing her own memories would help her escape the pain. The little device in her hand contains all the answers she needs. All she can do now is turn it on.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Rogues' warehouse, Lisa was tuning her Gold Gun, until she felt a gust of wind behind her. She knew it came from a speedster and her first guess was the one wearing a suit of armor.

"I just had a chat with your friend, Caitlin Snow," said Savitar.

"You knew?" asked Lisa.

"You think I didn't know about your little frostbite during your first encounter with the so-called Crystal Frost?" replied Savitar.

"What did you do to her?" asked Lisa.

"She is still alive," said Savitar.

"Sounds to me like you want to kill her," said Lisa.

"In the event my plans fail, I need Barry Allen to suffer, and for that to happen, Caitlin needs to die," said Savitar.

"Then I can't work with you," said Lisa. "Caitlin was more than just a partner in crime. She was my friend. If you want to kill her, you're gonna have to kill me first."

Savitar zooms towards Lisa and grabs her by the throat, lifting her off her feet.

"You think you can stand in my way?" questioned Savitar. "I am the God of Speed. I can kill you before you even know it."

"Then why are you still talking?" asked Lisa.

"Because you are still vital to my plans," said Savitar. "And you are going to cooperate, or else."

"Or else what? You'll kill Snow?" guessed Lisa.

"No," said Savitar. "Cisco Ramon."

Lisa grinds her teeth in anger in response.

"You stay away from him," growled Lisa.

"Then do yourself a favor. Don't stand in my way," said Savitar.

Savitar releases Lisa. Lisa coughs as she tries to recover from the choking.

"If you so much as talk to anyone among Barry Allen's circle, then the man you love dies," threatened Savitar. "Do we have an understanding?"

Lisa glares at the God of Speed. "You son of a..."

Savitar interrupted Lisa by holding his blade against her neck.

"I won't kill you but I can make you suffer until you choose to cooperate," said Savitar. "A word of this to any of your Rogues gallery and you will pay a price."

Savitar leaves the warehouse in super speed. Lisa remains sitting on the floor as she ponders over her situation. If she tries to defy Savitar in any way, Cisco will die. Criminal or not, she cares about him almost as much as she cares about her brother. She has no choice but to cooperate. She only prays that someone will find out about her dilemma and help her.

 **Well, what do you think? There are still more questions to be answered, but now, you know the truth about Crystal Frost (unless, of course, you already knew from the start).**

 **BTW the memory-storing device is not a random thought. If you've been following the Arrowverse very carefully, you'll know exactly what it is.**

 **Leave a review and let me know what you think. I'd appreciate it very much.**


	15. Second Chance

**We're about to take a brief time-traveling adventure, for a good reason, of course. Remember, Mercury Labs in Keystone is where Team Flash is operating now, but don't expect it to be as technologically advanced as S.T.A.R. Labs. This chapter will show that.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to Superior Tennyson, NeoTyson, DarkSuspense, Steve993, jessicabiggs, and Guests for reviewing the previous chapter.**

 _Seven months ago..._

 _Eobard Thawne, a.k.a. Reverse Flash, had just ran back 2017 in an attempt to escape Black Flash. He enters an abandoned warehouse, where he plans on staying until his wrist device warns him of the Speed Force's new enforcer._

 _"Nice to see you again, Thawne."_

 _Eobard turns around and sees Killer Frost, sitting on top of a forklift._

 _"Were you just waiting for me?" asked Thawne._

 _"Not really," said Killer Frost. "I just came here to relax myself."_

 _Thawne turned his head and saw a half dozen people. Three of them had icicles in their chests. Two of them were frozen. One lied dead with a severed hand."_

 _"I'm pretty sure a severed hand doesn't kill someone," said Thawne._

 _"Snapped his neck," said Killer Frost._

 _"You have really turned into quite the killer, Ms. Snow," said Thawne, complimenting her._

 _"So, how's the quest for the Spear?" asked Killer Frost._

 _"It's, uh, not going well, at least, right now," said Thawne._

 _"The Legends have it," guessed Killer Frost._

 _"The pieces, yes," said Thawne. "But don't worry. I assure you. Ms. Bertinelli will have what you promised her."_

 _"So, we're still partners?" asked Killer Frost, jumping off the forklift._

 _"Of course we are," said Thawne._

 _"You remember our deal, right?" asked Killer Frost._

 _"I have to make sure that you and the Flash retain your memories in the new reality," said Thawne, remembering._

 _"And you're still willing to honor it?" asked Killer Frost._

 _"Well, you left me no choice, if you remember," said Thawne. "One question, though. Why did you refuse to allow me to use the spear to bring back Ronnie Raymond? The Spear can change reality. You don't really need to remember this life. You can be happy."_

 _"Even if I was blissfully unaware about my pain and anger, I'd prefer an ugly reality than a beautiful lie," said Killer Frost._

 _"Always the realist, Ms. Snow," said Thawne._

 _"You'd know that. You treated me like one of your own," said Killer Frost._

 _"You do know I'm just a time remnant, right?" asked Thawne._

 _"I know," said Killer Frost. "But you have memories of your time posing as Harrison Wells. I say that counts for one thing."_

 _Killer Frost was about to leave the warehouse, until she saw a small device in Thawne's hand._

 _"What is that?" asked Killer Frost._

 _"It's a device from the future. Time Masters, like Rip Hunter, use it to store memories," answered Thawne._

 _"It can do that?" asked Killer Frost, intrigued._

 _"Indeed," said Thawne. "Well, it's empty now, so... I'm still wondering why I even have it on me."_

 _"Can I have it?" asked Killer Frost._

 _"Why would you be interested in this?" asked Thawne._

 _"You don't need it anymore, right?" said Killer Frost._

 _"Well, Rip Hunter is back with the Legends now, so... yeah," said Thawne._

 _"Then give it to me," said Killer Frost._

 _"Well, it's useless anyway," said Thawne._

 _Thawne gives Killer Frost the memory container. Suddenly, his watch started to beep._

 _"Guess Hunter's on his way," said Killer Frost. "You better go."_

 _Thawne leaves the warehouse and runs to another time. Killer Frost heard a roar from outside. She hides behind a column as a speedster zoomed into the room. It was Hunter Zolomon, except his face was scarred and he had a red lightning bolt on his chest. He was sniffing the air, clearly looking for Thawne. Zoom picked up his scent and runs towards his direction._

 _Killer Frost looks at the device in her hands._

* * *

Barry would've spent the night moping and crying over the truth about Crystal if Joe hadn't called him back to Mercury Labs. According to Joe, Tracy needed to talk to him about the trap. Barry puts on his Flash suit before seeing Tracy Brand, along with the rest of Team Flash, in the lab.

"What's the problem?" asked Flash.

"The Speed Force Bazooka needs two pieces of technology to be functional," said Tracy. She walks towards the board and shows Flash drawings of two devices. "A hyper-thermal regulator and a plasma-induced laser targeting system. Mercury Labs doesn't have both of them."

"S.T.A.R. Labs did," said Cisco.

"Except, of course, it got blown to smithereens by a solar flare, courtesy of our once dear friend, Caitlin Snow," said H.R.

"I talked to Dr. McGee and she said that it would take months, maybe years for Mercury Labs to create the tech," said Tracy.

"And since Caitlin 2.0 dies in three weeks, we can't afford to wait," said Cisco.

"So, what's this got to do with me?" asked Flash.

"We talked about it and we all agree that it's a big risk," said Jesse Quick. "But..."

"We need you to travel back in time," finished Kid Flash.

"What?" Flash was surprised by the answer.

"We know you promised yourself and the Speed Force that you would never do it again," said Jesse Quick.

"But we need the tech from S.T.A.R. Labs to finish the trap for Savitar," said Kid Flash.

"Cisco says you're the only speedster here fast enough to travel through time," said Joe. "This may be dangerous, but if you really want to stop Savitar, we need you to do this."

Barry hangs his head as he keeps his mouth shut.

"Are you okay?" asked Joe.

"I'm fine," lied Flash.

"No, something's wrong with you," said Joe, seeing through Barry's lie.

"Not now, Detective," said Flash. "Alright, I'll do it. The question now is when."

"Good thing I already have the answer," said Cisco. "You have to travel back to the night S.T.A.R. Labs exploded. It's the best way to get the tech without our past selves noticing. Go back any time earlier than that and our past selves discovering the missing tech might trigger some events we don't want to happen."

"Got it," said Flash, nodding.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" asked Joe. "'Cuz you look like you've just seen a ghost."

"We have to stop Savitar. That's all that matters now," said Flash.

Flash runs out of Mercury Labs.

"Something's wrong with him," guessed Kid Flash.

"Yup," agreed Jesse Quick.

* * *

Flash runs through the streets of Keystone as fast as he could, until he opens a breach through time. He comes out of the other end and finds himself back in S.T.A.R. Labs. The shaking tells him that he traveled to the exact him he wanted to be in. He walks towards the medical bay and peers through the open door. He can see Supergirl on the medical bed, glowing because of the power cell that Killer Frost put inside her.

"That's the spirit," she said through her comm-link. "Now, run, Barry, run."

Flash knew this meant that his past self was about to run faster and keep the tornado running to contain the solar flare. He rushes to the lab fast to get the tech he needs.

"Okay, what do you need to find, Barry?" he asked himself, trying to remember what Tracy said. "Hyper-thermal regulator. Plasma-induced laser targeting system."

Flash searched through every shelf, table, and cabinet at super speed for the tech he's searching for. After finding what he needed, he started running again. Supergirl unleashes her solar flare, but luckily for Flash, he entered the time breach before he got hit.

* * *

Flash returns to Mercury Labs, leaves the regulator and the targeting system on Tracy's desk, and then leaves the building again in super speed.

"That was fast," said Tracy, sounding surprised.

"That's time travel, Tracy. He just traveled back to the exact point in time he left. It's like he never left at all," said Cisco.

"I'm really glad I met all of you," said Tracy, subtly staring at H.R.

H.R. notices this and smiles at her.

* * *

The next morning, Barry was lying down in bed, but he didn't move. When Joe knocked and called him for breakfast, he didn't come down. Wally and Jesse have knocked as well, warning him about a crime going on in the city, but he just told them to handle it themselves.

It was almost noon and Barry hasn't moved from his bed. He was still thinking about last night's discovery. Crystal Frost was Caitlin Snow the whole time. He still couldn't believe he never saw it before. But what bothered him more is the fact that Caitlin was alive. He knows why he lashed out on her, but a part of him was confused why he did. When Caitlin died in his arms, he mourned for her. He wished she had lived that day. Yet, the first thing he did after he discovered the truth was yell at her.

His phone started ringing. Still lying down on his bed, Barry picks up his phone and reads the caller's name. It was Crystal. He was gonna ignore it, but second-guessed himself. He reminds himself that it was Caitlin. She was alive. No matter what she did to him, a small part of him what happy that she was alive. He pushes the "answer" button.

"Hey," he greeted.

 _"Hey, Barry," greeted Crystal. "I doubted you'd answer, especially since you told me to get out of your life."_

"What do you want?" asked Barry.

 _"To talk," answered Crystal._

"What's left to talk about?" asked Barry. "I know who you are, and if you're asking me to forgive you, it's not gonna be that easy."

 _"Just meet me at the abandoned saw mill outside of town," said Crystal. "Please, Barry. Just give me this one chance."_

After Crystal ended the call, Barry started to think about his next move.

* * *

Barry puts on his super suit and arrives at the saw mill where Crystal asked him to meet her. At first, he though the place was empty, until he heard footsteps heading towards his direction. He turns around and sees Crystal, dressed in blue from shoulder to toe.

"I know you like blue, but this is a little too blue," joked Barry.

"Surprised you're still joking after what you just find out," replied Crystal.

Barry takes off his cowl and asks, "What do you want?"

Crystal removes her hand from behind her back and shows him the memory-storing device.

"I did some reading," said Crystal. "Found a few things that explained my own questions."

"Like what?" asked Barry.

"Like how I knew Lisa Snart but don't remember our times together," said Crystal.

"You remember Lisa Snart?" asked Barry.

"Yeah," said Crystal. "And Earth-2 Laurel Lance."

"Okay, now I feel kinda hurt," replied Barry. "Why would you keep your memories of two criminals you've only known for a short time but not your friends? Oh, wait, never mind. I forgot. You don't remember."

"Look, Barry, I know you're not taking this very well," said Crystal. "But I want you to trust me again."

"Caitlin Snow or Crystal Frost, you still kept secrets from me," said Barry. "Very big ones, in fact. I can't just forgive that."

"And I understand," said Crystal. "But I wanna regain your trust. I'm going to restore my memories."

"Wait, what?" Barry asked.

"I'm going to bring back Caitlin Snow," said Crystal.

"But why ask me to meet you here?" asked Barry.

"Because I wanted to ask you if you want me to do it," answered Crystal.

"Are you sure you want this?" asked Barry. "I know you're desperate to regain my trust, but you... Caitlin... erased her memories for a reason. She wanted to escape the pain of her old life. To forget about the tragedies she caused and the lives she ruined."

"Barry, I just found out that I am Caitlin Snow," said Crystal. "I've read enough to understand why she sought to escape the pain. But if being Crystal Frost makes you distrust me, then this is my only option."

"How would be sure Caitlin Snow would still want what Crystal Frost wants?" asked Barry.

"We are one and the same, aren't we?" replied Crystal. "It's really up to you, Barry. Are you willing to give Crystal Frost a chance or do you want Caitlin Snow back? I know deep down, you wish you could've saved her. Here's your chance."

Barry looks back and forth between Crystal and the memory storage device in her hands. He wanted to run as far away from her as possible, but something was keeping him from doing it. She just told him that he has the opportunity to help Caitlin Snow. In spite of what she did to him, he always wished he had been able to save her. Despite the hate he felt for her, he still offered to help her on the night she died.

"After Iris died, I hated Caitlin, but not so much that I wanted to kill her," said Barry. "The last time I faced Killer Frost, I still offered her a chance at redemption. I told her that I would find her a cure for her powers. Even after all the death and destruction she caused, there was voice inside me yelling at me to save her, and I listened to it."

"Is that a yes?" asked Crystal.

"I can't forgive you for Iris, but I am glad to see you. I mean it," said Barry.

Without further ado, Crystal pushes a button on the container. It casts a beam of light on Crystal's forehead. Her eyes closed as she sees a series of images flash in her mind. Once the process was complete, Crystal drops the floor.

Barry kneels down and tends to his unconscious "friend".

"Cait, are you okay?" asked Barry.

Part of Crystal's hair was beginning to turn white. When Barry touched her hair, Crystal's eyes opened. They were glowing with the color of ice. Before Barry can react, she hits him with a beam of cold ice, pushing him several feet away from her.

Barry vibrates himself to melt the ice on his suit. He stands up at the same time Crystal did.

"Hello, Flash," she said, firing another ice blast at him.

 **And that concludes this chapter. Wanna see how this encounter ends? You'll have to wait.**

 **By the way, if you're gonna complain that Barry is being too soft of Caitlin despite everything she did to him in "Unforgivable", read their conversation again. It's all the explanation I have of why he is acting like this towards her.**


	16. Caitlin Snow

**Hope you're not too hung up on the previous chapter's cliffhanger. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to Superior Tennyson, Steve993, godspeed 251, NeoTyson, CurlyGirl27, and Guests for reviewing the previous chapter.**

 _Ten months ago..._

 _Killer Frost was entering the warehouse where Savitar hides. She sees the God of Speed in the flesh, staring at his suit._

 _"Cool suit," she said. "Very god-like."_

 _"That was my intention," said Savitar. "Do your 'friends' suspect anything?"_

 _"Nope. They fully believe that Caitlin Snow is not going anymore," said Killer Frost._

 _"Good," said Savitar. "All that's left now is to set me free."_

 _"Free from where?" asked Killer Frost._

 _"The Speed Force," said Savitar. "I can only stay in the physical world for so long before I get pulled back in. With your help, not only will I gain my freedom but the Flash will kneel down before you and me."_

 _"Barry and Caitlin working together again," commented Killer Frost._

 _Savitar was affected by this comment. He walks towards Caitlin and stares at her with a hard look on his face._

 _"I'm not Barry. You're not Caitlin," said Savitar._

 _"I'm just sayin'," said Killer Frost._

 _"Are you sure you're ready?" asked Savitar. "Because deep down, we both know there's one thing that's gonna keep you from betraying the Flash."_

 _"And what would that be?" questioned Killer Frost._

 _"You love him," said Savitar. "I can see it in your eyes. The way you look at him. It's the same way I once looked at Iris."_

 _"And you think this will cloud my judgment?" questioned Killer Frost._

 _"I hope not," said Savitar. "I just want to be sure you don't lose sight of the bright future ahead of you. I will walk on this Earth as a God. You will be my Goddess, ruling by my side. Isn't that what you want?"_

 _"Anything to be free of my pain," replied Killer Frost.  
_

 _"Then keep it in mind," said Savitar._

 _Killer Frost watches as Savitar and his suit disappear, obviously sucked back into the Speed Force. She then thinks about Savitar's words. Deep down, she knew he was right. While she can't deny that she loves Barry, she refuses to believe that her feelings for him will affect her intentions.  
_

* * *

 _Present Day_

Barry runs away to avoid the ice blast coming towards him. He runs to the other side of the warehouse and hides behind a pile of crates.

"Oh, Flash," called Caitlin, her voice sounding as cold as Killer Frost. "Come out, come out, wherever your are."

Barry tried to keep his breathing under control in an attempt to calm himself down. He slowly peers around the corner, looking for Caitlin. She wasn't anywhere near his spot yet. He sighs with relief. He comes out and keeps an eye out in case of a surprise attack.

"We don't have to fight," he said.

"Of course we do," said Caitlin, her voice echoing against the walls.

Caitlin comes out and fires another ice blast, hitting Barry in the back. Barry falls down on all fours as he grunts from the frozen pain on his back. Caitlin kicks Flash on the side, knocking him down on his back. She puts her foot on his chest as she aims her ice-filled hand at his face.

"What are you waiting for? Do it," dared Barry. "Isn't this what Killer Frost wants? Me dead?"

The glow from Caitlin's eyes started to flicker until they turned off. She aims her hand away from the Barry and fires an ice blast at a wooden column, freezing it. Caitlin takes her foot off the Scarlet Speedster and turns around.

"Looks like you're still not in control of your powers," said Barry, standing up.

"Tell me something I don't know," said Caitlin sarcastically.

"You still want to kill me?" asked Barry.

"A part of me still does," answered Caitlin. "But the other part of me wants to fight by your side like old times."

"Seriously, you had me going back there," said Barry, referring to their brief fight.

"I got it under control," assured Caitlin. "Well, mostly."

"That's good enough for me," said Barry. "So, you remember everything?"

"I remember that you helped me overcome my fear of entering the pipeline. I remember we watched Harrison Wells' will together. And I remember the song we sang together at the club. 'Summer Nights'," said Caitlin.

To Caitlin's surprise, Barry walked closer towards her and gave her a hug. She did the polite thing and hugged back.

"Why?" asked Caitlin.

"I missed you," said Barry.

"Even after what I did?" asked Caitlin.

"I will always see you as my friend, Caitlin," said Barry. "No matter what you do, I will never lose sight of who you really are."

Caitlin smiled a little.

"You're a little too forgiving sometimes, Barry," said Caitlin.

"I'm not saying I forgive you," said Barry. "I'm just happy to see you. Well, the real you."

Barry gently touches a white streak on Caitlin's hair. Noticing this, Caitlin closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Her white streaks reverted back to their original brown color.

"So, Barry, any more questions?" asked Caitlin.

"How did you survive?" asked Barry. "I saw you die and I held you in my arms when you did. The CCPD said that Detective Paulson destroyed your body because you killed his wife."

Caitlin looks away for a moment as she prepares to explain everything. "When you created that tornado to siphon some of the solar energy from Kara, the solar flare's power was decreased. Instead of destroying me, it just buried me under the remains of S.T.A.R. Labs. I knew I was gonna survive, but I didn't know what I was gonna do afterwards."

"Why?" asked Barry.

Caitlin looks back at Barry and says, "I'm broken, Barry. You saw how torn up I was. Trying to become Killer Frost when Caitlin Snow was always trying to come out, I couldn't handle it. And let's not forget everything that I did. Star City was nearly ashes. Central City is now a criminal playground. I didn't know if I could face everyone I used to care for. I was afraid they would never trust me again. So, I did the best thing I could think of. I faked my death."

"But your heart stopped beating. You stopped breathing," said Barry.

"Call it a magic trick," said Caitlin. "I decreased my body temperature so low until my own heart stopped beating. When my body was left alone, I took action. I met up with Detective Paulson. True, I killed his wife. Savitar brought her to me to test my will to kill, but Paulson didn't know his wife's death was my doing. So, I asked him to do something for me. I threatened to kill his son if he didn't cooperate. The body that he destroyed was a decoy mixed with my DNA. And there you go. Caitlin Snow was dead."

"Where were you all this time?" asked Barry.

"You were right about one thing. I wanted a fresh start, but not as an amnesiac," said Caitlin. "I moved to Hub City. Changed my name to Crystal Frost. Got a job as a therapist. And I'm pretty sure I already told you about my nighttime job."

"Why'd you come back?" asked Barry.

"I discovered that Savitar returned," said Caitlin. "I wanted to go back and help you, but I was afraid seeing me would make you feel worse. So, I erased my memories and led myself into believing that I am Crystal Frost."

"But you still kept your memories of Lisa and Earth-2 Laurel?" asked Barry.

"They may be criminals, Barry, but they were my friends, more or less," said Caitlin. "After Prometheus used Laurel for his plans, I wanted to make sure they were both safe."

"But wouldn't you have rather removed all memories of Caitlin Snow?" asked Barry. "I mean, you didn't want me to find out, right?"

"I had my suspicions, but as a professional, I accepted it as amnesia and didn't want to rush," said Caitlin.

"What about your powers?" asked Barry. "They're kind of a dead giveaway if your face didn't make it clear."

"I created a necklace that could absorb solar energy and keep my powers under control," said Caitlin. "One night, I was mugged. This lunatic ripped my necklace off me. I killed him by accident. I tried to conceal them, but my curiosity got the best of me. So, I started relearning what I could do."

"Okay, but if you erased your memories, how did you know to come here to Keystone?" asked Barry.

"I left myself some notes," answered Caitlin. "Where to go. Which house to buy. I wanted to make sure I do everything right, even if I won't be remembering anything."

"So, your real reason for coming here is Savitar?" asked Barry.

"Yes," answered Caitlin.

"But how did he know who you are?" asked Barry. "When he tried to kill me, you used your powers to save. Then Savitar just left saying 'all is revealed'. I think it's clear he was trying to expose the truth about Crystal Frost to me."

"He's been running for centuries. He's gotten smarter, smart enough to see through my ruse," said Caitlin.

"But why reveal it to me?" wondered Barry.

"I guess he figured it would hurt you more knowing that you would lose me again," said Caitlin. "Yeah, I still remember his plan to kill me on October 23."

"Well, it's not gonna happen," said Barry. "I will protect you, I promise."

"I can take care of myself, Barry," said Caitlin.

"Regardless, I'm not gonna lose you again," said Barry.

"I'll fight with you, Barry, if you'll do one thing for me," said Caitlin. "Don't tell the others."

"But, Caitlin, they deserve to know," said Barry. "Especially Cisco. He misses you."

"Barry, I killed Patty, Wells, Mick Rory, and my own mother," reminded Caitlin. "Besides, they have enough problems with Savitar. They don't need to worry about me."

"But they're still being paranoid around you," said Barry.

"And that's good enough for me," said Caitlin. "Please, Barry. I know keeping secrets never helps, but I need you to keep this one for me. Please."

After a while, Barry gives his response. "Alright. I promise."

Caitlin smiles at him. "Thank you."

"So, uh, now what?" asked Barry.

"Maybe we can grab lunch?" suggested Caitlin.

"If this is about me asking you out, I was asking Crystal Frost, not Caitlin Snow," said Barry.

"I know," said Caitlin. "But c'mon. You've been lying down in bed all day. Aren't you really hungry?"

"Now that you mentioned, I'm starving," said Barry.

"Coffee?" offered Caitlin. "I'm buying."

"Sound good to me," said Barry.

 **Please, no complaints about Barry being soft on Caitlin. I'm tired of explaining why. Anyway, I hope this was a good chapter. Leave a review and tell me what you think.**


	17. Next Move

**Hope the wait wasn't too long. Enjoy the new chapter.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to Steve993, jessicabiggs16, Master Skywalker 121, DarkSuspense, godspeed251, Nightbat0204, NeoTyson, and Guest for reviewing the previous chapter.**

After getting coffee, Barry and Caitlin walk back to the neighborhood.

"This is nice," said Barry. "You and me. Spending time together like good friends."

"Again, you're being way too soft on me," said Caitlin. "I killed Iris. For that alone, you shouldn't be so nice to me."

"And again, while forgiving you for that is impossible, I'm just happy to know that you're still alive," said Barry, smiling at her.

"I don't understand you sometimes," said Caitlin.

"The important thing is I know you're back," said Barry. "I just hope the others will know someday."

"One step at a time, Flash," said Caitlin.

"I just want to ask you something," said Barry. "After we defeat Savitar, are you gonna stay with us or leave?"

"I... haven't really thought that far, Barry," said Caitlin.

"You should stay," said Barry. "Team Flash is your family."

"After everything I did, they'll disagree," said Caitlin.

"I know I'm the last person on Earth who should say this to you, but you have to stop beating yourself up over this," said Barry. "I understand more than anyone how much pain you've caused, but there's no use lingering in the past. You helped me truly understand that."

"That was Crystal Frost," said Caitlin.

"Same difference," said Barry. "We can discuss your past actions another time. Right now, we have a mission."

"Stopping Savitar," said Caitlin. "It won't be easy."

"But you outsmarted him twice," said Barry.

"That doesn't make it easier every time," said Caitlin. "Besides, if I tell you my plan to stop him, he'll know about it."

"Then you shouldn't talk to me about them," said Barry.

"Agreed," said Caitlin.

"You knew who he was, right?" asked Barry. "What did he look like to you?"

"More broken than you are, to be honest," said Caitlin. "He told me what Flashpoint did to him. He was so consumed by grief and hatred and anger that he lost so much of his sanity and compassion."

"So much?" questioned Barry.

"There is still a part of him that reminds me of you," said Caitlin. "As Crystal Frost, I could see it more clearly. I may not have known what he did to you since I couldn't remember, but when I looked at him, I could see the pain I saw in you and how desperate he was to end it. There is still good in him. Crystal Frost would've helped him."

"It weirds me out how often you refer to yourself in the third person," said Barry.

"When you struggled to juggle multiple identities, it gets to you," said Caitlin.

"But you'll always be Caitlin Snow. It's who you are," said Barry.

"I wish I can believe that," said Caitlin.

"You should," said Barry.

"Still seeing the good side of me, huh?" questioned Caitlin.

"I focus more on that side you, I remind myself of who you really are," said Barry.

Caitlin blushed as she tried to avoid eye contact. She still finds it hard to believe that Barry is actually smiling about being right beside her. She always feared that if he knew she was alive, if he saw her again, he would lash out on her about everything she did to him. Yet, he's repeatedly reminds her how happy he is to know the truth. Maybe Crystal Frost did help after all.

"You really think you can help him?" asked Barry.

"Savitar is a lost, broken soul with a god complex, but I can still see a glimpse of the kind, heroic Barry Allen within him," said Caitlin.

"Then maybe we should stop using our fists and powers to fight this war," said Barry.

The two arrived at Crystal's house. They stared at each other and stuttered back and forth, not knowing what to say to each other. They started laughing nervously, amused at each other's awkwardness.

"Good night," said Barry.

"Good night," said Caitlin.

The two stared at each other again. Slowly, they leaned towards each other. Caitlin stopped herself and planted a kiss on Barry's cheek. Barry felt a little disappointed but he kept it hidden. The two once again looked at each other with awkwardness in their smiles and gestures.

Caitlin waved goodbye to Barry before entering her house. Barry smiles as he walks away.

* * *

Caitlin closes the door and heads to the kitchen, only to see a familiar face having a cup of coffee. It was Laurel Lance of Earth-2, a.k.a. Black Siren.

"Well, well, well, look who's back from the dead," she started.

"I see you got my call," said Caitlin.

"When I saw the security footage at A.R.G.U.S., I thought it was a joke, but the note convinced me otherwise," said Laurel, showing Caitlin the note she left for her at A.R.G.U.S. during her breakout.

"Good to see you, too," said Caitlin.

"Likewise," said Laurel with a smirk. "So, what's the fire? Or should I say, the frost?"

"Funny," said Caitlin, rolling her eyes. "Barry knows that I'm alive."

"I saw what happened through the window," said Laurel. "You still love him."

"I will always love him," said Caitlin.

"Then I'm assuming you didn't call me here to help you kill him," guessed Laurel.

"We have another mission," said Caitlin. "Savitar."

Laurel's eyes widened as she removed the cup from her lips, clearly surprised to hear the name.

"He's back," said Caitlin. "And obviously, I can't let him become a god. I have to stop him. Again."

"Shouldn't be too hard," said Laurel. "You made a fool of him twice."

"And I'm gonna try again," said Caitlin. "But first, there's something I need you to do."

"Do I get to knock some buildings?" asked Laurel.

"Afraid not," said Caitlin.

"Bummer," replied Laurel.

"But you do get to see an old friend," said Laurel. "Lisa Snart."

"And how's our Golden Glider doing these days, aside from ruling Central City with her army of rogues?" asked Laurel.

"She's working for Savitar," said Caitlin. "But I doubt she's doing it out of her own free will."

"So, you need me to save her," guessed Laurel. "Any reason you can't do this yourself?"

"Because I'll be busy helping Barry," said Caitlin.

"Gone hero again, haven't you?" said Laurel with disappointment in her tone. "When did you become Caitlin Snow again?"

"I've always been Caitlin Snow," said Caitlin. "I just let my rage consume me."

"And why should I help you?" asked Laurel, crossing her arms. "If you're a hero now, I don't think I'm interested. I think I would rather be in Central City helping Lisa keep it a criminal playground."

"You know me. I wouldn't have asked you to help me if I didn't have a way to persuade you," said Caitlin.

"That's true," said Laurel. "What do you have to offer?"

"A fresh start," said Caitlin. "You always knew I wasn't all Killer Frost. I always knew you weren't all Black Siren."

"Trying to soften me up?" guessed Laurel. "Make me a hero, is that your play?"

"No," said Caitlin. "A fresh start."

"Keep talking," said Laurel.

Caitlin takes Laurel to her room. On the bed is a bunch of files. Laurel opens one of them and raises an eyebrow in response to reading the content.

"You don't have to keep hiding from the world, Laurel," said Caitlin. "You can start a new life."

"And what makes you think I'll accept this offer?" asked Laurel.

"Because I know you," said Caitlin. "All this fighting and killing is just a way to run away from your pain. I chose to purse vengeance on Barry just to ignore my pain. But look at me now. I'm choosing a path to redemption. You can too."

"Giving up screaming at people and destroying city blocks, I don't think so," said Laurel.

"This is about Lisa, Lance," said Caitlin. "When you were locked up in A.R.G.U.S., I came after you. You're my friend and I will always look out for you."

"Don't get all mushy with me," said Laurel.

"The point is that you owe me," said Caitlin. "Consider my offer. Consider helping me save Lisa. She's no underling, we both know that."

"Are you sure this isn't your way of trying to get on Leonard Snart's good side?" asked Laurel.

"To be honest, that kinda crossed my mind," said Caitlin. "But this isn't about earning his trust. It's about saving Lisa and stopping Savitar."

"How long?" asked Laurel.

"24 hours, at best," said Caitlin. "Barry's gonna make a move on Savitar by then, I know it, and when he does, you have to make your move."

Laurel gives Caitlin a hardened look before exiting the room. Caitlin was unsure if she'll cooperate or abandon her. All she can do now is wait.

* * *

The next evening...

Barry arrives at an abandoned warehouse in Central City. He stands in the middle of the room, waiting for someone. A bolt of white lightning appears. Savitar shows himself, without the armor.

"I figured you'd come," said Barry.

"Why are you here?" asked Savitar.

"I just want to talk," said Barry.

 **Now that we've cleared up the Crystal Frost mystery, it's time to direct the focus to Savitar. Wait until the next chapter and you'll see where this is going. Hope you liked this.**


	18. The Man Behind The Armor

**It's time to put more focus on Savitar. Believe me, I'm not gonna follow the canon storyline exactly how it went down.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to Steve993, NeoTyson, Superior Tennyson, and godspeed 251 for reviewing the previous chapter.**

Savitar paces around the warehouse, keeping his eye on Barry.

"What do you want to talk about?" asked Savitar.

"You remember me talking to Caitlin last night. You must've figured out why I'm here," said Barry.

"You want to help me," said Savitar. "You're wasting your time. Look, Barry, if I wanted to talk to myself, I could've done it back in my lair."

"Caitlin Snow worked with you. Crystal Frost saw your pain. She knows that you're not completely lost," said Barry. "Even I can see it, when you first revealed yourself to me."

"You wouldn't understand my pain unless you've been through what I have," said Barry.

"I may not know how much pain you're suffering, but I know what it feels like," said Barry. "I lost my parents. Friends. Iris."

"I'll give Caitlin credit. Whats he did to you, far worse than what I had originally planned," said Savitar.

"You must feel really proud of her," replied Barry with a pinch of sarcasm.

"Too bad she's gone soft," said Savitar. "She could've been a goddess, feared by all."

"Why'd you reveal the truth about Crystal Frost?" asked Barry.

"I think it's obvious," said Savitar.

"But I want to hear it from you," said Barry.

"I remember how you felt when she died, or at least when you thought she did," said Savitar. "It's more than just grief. You felt like you failed her because you couldn't save her."

"And that's why you want to kill her?" asked Barry. "Because you want to feel like I failed her again?"

"You'll figure out on October 23rd," said Savitar.

"I can't let that happen," said Barry. "I came here to help you, and I will."

"And what makes you think I'm redeemable?" asked Savitar.

"Because you're me," said Barry. "I know myself and I know that no matter how far into the darkness I've been dragged to, I'm never lost. My future self seemed broken beyond recovery, having lost almost everyone he cared about, but in the end, he chose to become the Flash again. If I can recover from that much pain, you can to."

"And what makes you think I can trust you?" asked Savitar.

"Like I said, you're not completely lost," said Barry. "Deep down, beneath the scars and the pain, that part of you must still remember what it's like to have family, to have friends. You can have all that back. If you're just gonna keep trying to be a God, then you'll always be lonely. We both know you don't want that."

Savitar looks away from Barry, refusing to listen to him any further.

Barry decided to take a different approach.

"I remember when I was 6 and I begged Mom and Dad to take me to the Science Expo in Midway," started Barry. "We got a flat tire on that dirt road, no spare, so we were towed to that garage in a tiny, little one-street town. Of course, we were stuck there all day. Then we got ice cream and french fries with gravy at that little diner. And then that night, we watched the local fireworks show. It actually turned out to be a great thing. It's my favorite memory of Mom and Dad."

As he listened, Savitar began flashing back to that very day. Instead of feeling the pain of missing his parents, he felt something else. Reliving that memory was giving him a warm feeling inside. He remembered how happy he was that day, how much he enjoyed spending time with his parents, how much he loved them. Barry can see it in his eyes.

"What was the name of that town?" asked Barry, trying to make sure Savitar remembers.

"Masonville," answered Savitar.

"I'm still in there," said Barry, smiling.

* * *

Later that evening, Barry and Savitar arrive back at S.T.A.R. Labs, or what's left of it. Waiting for them there was Caitlin. She turns around as soon as she felt a gust of wind blow behind her. At first sight of Savitar, Caitlin felt a little uneasy, especially since he was planning to kill her. But instead of keeping her distance, she walks towards him. She slowly reaches for him and gently lays her hand on the scarred half of his face.

"Hey," she greeted him.

"Hey," greeted Savitar softly. "Why are we here?"

"I thought the three of us should meet somewhere familiar," said Barry. "Baby steps. When you're ready to accept our help, we can take you to see the rest of Team Flash."

"And you think this is the right first step towards my redemption?" questioned Savitar. "The city I love in flames."

"I'm really sorry about that," said Caitlin.

"Maybe, but it doesn't matter," said Savitar. "I didn't want to destroy Central City. I just wanted Barry to suffer, to become me in the event my ascension doesn't come through."

"I'm no mere lackey, Barry," said Caitlin.

"My name is not Barry," growled Savitar.

"Hey, calm down, both of you," said Barry, standing in between his friend and his future self. "Look, I know you both have reasons to dislike each other, but let's not forget why we're here."

Caitlin and Savitar avoid eye contact as they tried to relax.

The three of them walked towards the rubble that was once S.T.A.R. Labs.

"I remember," said Savitar. "When I discovered that my powers came from the particle accelerator, I came to Dr. Harrison Wells for help."

"You two worked together?" asked Caitlin.

"More than. We were friends," said Savitar.. "He was like a third father to me."

"What about Cisco and Caitlin? We're they there?" asked Barry.

"No," said Savitar. "In my timeline, Cisco Ramon and Caitlin Snow never worked in S.T.A.R. Labs. Cisco ended up working for Kord Industries. Caitlin, well, she worked as biochemist for Mercury Labs."

"There's something else, isn't there?" asked Caitlin. "I can hear it in your voice. Did we still know each other?"

Savitar looked at Caitlin.

"You were 'her'," said Savitar. "Killer Frost. You were affected by the particle accelerator. We were enemies."

"What was I like before?" asked Caitlin.

"The same, really," said Savitar. "You were powerful. Dangerous. Smart. You always plan ahead. Every time we fight, someone ends up dying. But I had Wells and my wife to help me conquer my guilt."

"Iris," guessed Barry.

"You saw the article," said Savitar. "She was my world." He looks at Caitlin with slight anger. "And you took her away from me."

"There are no words to make up for what I did," said Caitlin.

"I remember that day," said Savitar. "I was on my knees. Powerless. Helpless. You forced me to tell you how much Iris meant to me. Then you drove a shard of ice through her heart and made sure I saw it."

Caitlin hangs her head with sorrow and regret as her mind flashed back to that horrific day.

"I know that wasn't really me," said Savitar. "But I can still feel the pain from that day. I can't shake it off. Every time I think of Iris, I think about you and what you did."

"Hey, look at me," said Barry.

Savitar turns his attention to Barry.

"She took her away from me too," said Barry.

"And yet, your anger for her didn't last long," said Savitar. "Why is that?"

"Because she was... is... my friend," said Barry. "What she did is impossible to forgive, but now that she's back, I get a second chance."

"And you deserve a second chance too," said Caitlin to Savitar. "But only if you let us help you."

Savitar walks towards the damaged sign that says "S.T.A.R. Labs" and puts his hand on it. Barry and Caitlin can tell that he reminiscing the old days where he was once the Flash.

"So, how are we gonna do this?" asked Savitar. "Where would I live?"

"What?" asked Barry, surprised by the question.

"Are Wally and I gonna be bunkmates?" asked Savitar. "Am I supposed to join Team Flash, fight some rogues, be a hero?"

"We haven't thought that far yet," said Barry. "But if you let us help you, we'll figure it out together."

"No," said Savitar. "Not together."

"What do you mean?" asked Caitlin.

"You really haven't figured it out, Barry?" asked Savitar.

"Figured out what?" asked Barry.

Savitar chuckles.

"What's so funny?" asked Caitlin.

"So caught up on Iris and Linda and Patty and Kara and Felicity, that you never see what's in front of you," continued Savitar, looking at Barry and then back at Caitlin. "I know I'm not your Barry, but I remember meeting you at S.T.A.R. Labs after I woke up, going into the pipeline with you, singing with you... falling in love with you. And you're gonna spend the rest of your life with..." Savitar points at Barry. "... him."

Caitlin looks at Barry, who looks at her as well.

"Why are you telling me this?" Barry asked Savitar.

"Because unlike you, I can't ignore the feeling," said Savitar.

"Savi... Barry, I can see how this is difficult for you, but we're serious about helping you," said Caitlin. "You don't have to be a God. You can have a family once again. You can be happy."

Savitar looks at Barry and says, "What about the Speed Force trap? Tracy Brand worked so hard on it, and yet, here you are, telling the person the device is designed for that he doesn't have to keep wallowing in the darkness. If you really want to hep me, you'd take it apart."

"As much as I want to, I can't," said Barry. "We both need to know if you're all-in first."

"Can't say I blame you," said Savitar.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of Central City, Black Siren was holding Savitar's blade in her hands. A force was pulling her somewhere. She just followed it. The blade pulls her towards an abandoned warehouse. Inside, she finds an old friend, tied up in the corner of the room.

"Someone looks worse for wear," she said.

Lisa turns around and sees Laurel.

"Hey, Lance," greeted Lisa.

"Snart," greeted Laurel.

Laurel uses Savitar's blade to cut the ropes, freeing Lisa.

"What are you doing here?" asked Lisa.

"Frosty sent me," answered Laurel.

"Snow?" guessed Lisa.

"Yup," said Laurel.

"Why?" asked Lisa.

"She and Flash are keeping Savitar busy, so someone had to come here and save you," said Laurel.

"And you agreed to this?" asked Lisa.

"Not at first," said Laurel. "She's gone soft and I didn't want to be part of her 'path to redemption'. But then she made me an offer."

"What offer?" asked Lisa.

"Let's talk after we get out of here," said Laurel.

Suddenly, the blade flies out of Laurel's hand and reattaches to Savitar's armor.

* * *

Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Savitar flinched and looked away from Barry and Caitlin.

"Something wrong?" asked Caitlin.

"My armor," said Savitar. "It's complete."

"What?" asked Barry.

"The blade you cut off, it's returned," said Savitar. "My armor is whole once again, but how?"

Savitar looks at Caitlin, who looked like she was hiding something. He immediately leaves, using his super speed.

* * *

Savitar arrives at the warehouse he operates in. He can see his armor, still hanging from its chains. He looks at the corner where Lisa was tied up and sees that she's not there anymore. All that's left was the rope.

Savitar lets out a scream of frustration.

* * *

Savitar returns to S.T.A.R. Labs, wearing his armor, only to see that Barry and Caitlin are no longer there. He then runs towards Keystone City. Before he can enter the streets, he saw the Flash coming towards him. Flash was about to punch Savitar, but the God of Speed grabs him by the throat and slams him to the ground.

"Caitlin tricked me," said Savitar angrily.

"And you think I knew?" asked Flash.

"No, you didn't," said Savitar. "If you did, I would know, but I didn't."

"What did she do?" asked Flash.

"She took advantage of your plan. Golden Glider is free," said Savitar.

"You held her prisoner?" asked Flash.

"It doesn't matter," said Savitar. "I will find her again."

"Why do you need her?" asked Flash.

"That's my business," said Savitar.

"I meant what I said when I said I wanted to help you," said Flash.

"I don't care," said Savitar. "This is the last time Caitlin has made a fool out of me. When the time comes, she will die, and I will make sure you watch."

Savitar throws Flash towards a rusty old trailer before running off.

All Flash can think about now is talking to Caitlin about the stunt she pulled.

 **If you're asking, "Why did I move the 'helping Savitar' part BEFORE the Speed Force trap was complete?", my answer is that it's part of my tinkering with the final episodes of Season 3. The Savitar storyline will be both familiar and different in this story.**

 **Plus, while I enjoyed the finale, I kinda thought the "helping Savitar redeem himself" part was long overdue. I thought I'd push it a little earlier. I'll leave you to figure out why.**


	19. A Siren's Call and a Golden Parachute

**I know I've been updating slower than usual, but I've been busy with my other stories. Are any of you fans of Disney's Descendants? Just askin' and lettin' you know.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to godspeed 251, Steve993, NeoTyson, and NASCAR1402 for reviewing the previous chapter.**

In the Rogues' warehouse, the other Rogues were out having fun, which leaves only Black Siren and Golden Glider. Black Siren was pacing back and forth, kicking a few stones, while Golden Glider was lying down next to a pile of crates. They heard footsteps in the shadows. It was Caitlin, only her hair was completely white and her lips were blue.

"Now there's face I missed seeing," said Black Siren.

"That makes two of us," said Caitlin, speaking her meta voice.

"I don't know about you but my spine is chilling," said Lisa.

"Hilarious, Snart," said Caitlin sarcastically.

"So, our Golden girl is saved. Now what?" asked Black Siren.

"Now, we get her out of town," said Caitlin.

"What?" asked Lisa.

"Savitar needs you. I don't know what it is, but you can't stay here in Central City," said Caitlin.

"I am not leaving, Snow," said Golden Glider. "Look around you. You promised me a city ruled by criminals. I finally have it, and you can't rip me away from it."

"I can't let Savitar use you, Lisa," said Caitlin. She gives her a key. "There's a blue 350Z in the alley. Silver hood. Take it and go to Hub City."

Lisa smacks the key away. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I figured," said Black Siren.

"Not helping, Lance," said Caitlin. She looks at Lisa and says, "Savitar will find you if you stay here."

"Aren't you supposed to be 11 steps ahead of everyone?" questioned Lisa. "Can't you fool him or something? You've done it three times."

"Savitar is centuries old. I can only fool him so many times," said Caitlin.

"Regardless, I'm not leaving this city," said Lisa. "How can you have a change of heart, Snow? You won. Central City has fallen, and yet, you're playing doctor to the grieving and mentally ill."

"And helping the Flash," added Black Siren.

"Shut up, Lance!" shouted Caitlin.

Black Siren puts both her hands up with a smirk, promising not to speak.

"What happened to you, Caitlin?" asked Lisa.

"I'm not proud of who I became and what I've done, Lisa," said Caitlin. "I needed a fresh start. That's where I've been all this time."

"And what? You're gonna help the Flash take back the city?" asked Lisa.

"My only concern is stopping Savitar once and for all," said Caitlin. "But that doesn't mean I'll turn my back on my friends. Now, come with me..."

Caitlin was about to grab Lisa, but the latter takes out her Gold Gun and points it at the ice-powered meta.

"Let me make myself perfectly clear, Snow," said Lisa. "I'm not going anywhere. The Rogues need a leader and there is no way is hell I'm letting it be someone who isn't me."

In the blink of an eye, Caitlin smacks the gun away from her face, grabs Lisa's arm, and twists it, causing Lisa to fall into a slouching position, facing the floor.

"You forget. Laurel taught me well," said Caitlin.

"Fine! If this is how you want to play it," said Lisa.

Lisa kicks Caitlin in the shin. She picks up her gun and aims it at Caitlin. Caitlin covers the firing hole with hand and freezes the gun, shattering it to pieces.

"I just shined that!" yelled Lisa.

"I can mail you a new gun at Hub City," said Caitlin.

"I said I'm not going anywhere," said Lisa.

"Laurel, help me here," pleaded Caitlin.

"No. No. I'm gonna let you two girlfriends handle this," said Laurel, enjoying the fight.

Caitlin and Lisa glare at each other. Lisa looked exasperated and impatient, while Caitlin was stoic.

"Fine. Stay here and let Savitar find you," said Caitlin, giving up.

Caitlin started walking out of the warehouse.

"But you won't let that happen," said Laurel. "You saved me from A.R.G.U.S. You're not just gonna let Snart die."

"We'll see," said Caitlin.

* * *

Caitlin heads to the alley on the side of the warehouse. Before she walked out the door, she takes out something from her pocket. It was H.R.'s facial transmogrifier. She uses it on herself. She sees a shattered mirror nearby and looks into it. She looks exactly Lisa. The black and gold jacket she brought helps with the appearance.

Caitlin walks out the door and enters the blue 350Z she told Lisa about. She starts the car and drives away.

As she drove, something caught her. It was a security camera.

* * *

Caitlin drives the 350Z out of Central City and parks it in a field of bushes in attempt to hide it. She exits the car and hides behind a tree as she watched the road. A streak of white lightning zoomed by. Clearly, it was Savitar.

"Run, Barry, run," Caitlin mocked.

Caitlin gets back in her car and starts driving back to Keystone. Her phone beeped. She got a message from Barry. It said:

 _"We need to talk. My house."_

* * *

Caitlin drives to Barry's house, where she finds the Scarlet Speedster pacing back and forth in the living room, arms crossed. Clearly, he wasn't happy, and Caitlin had a feeling why.

"Look, Barry, I can explain," she started. "I was..."

"Trying to get Savitar to distrust us?" interrupted Barry. "'Cause that's what you did."

"I told you that if I tell you what I'm up to, Savitar will know," said Caitlin.

Barry turns around and puts his hand on his forehead, trying to calm himself down.

"Okay, you make a compelling argument there," admitted Barry. "But of all the stunts you choose to pull, it's freeing Lisa Snart."

"Barry, Savitar was holding her hostage," said Caitlin.

"I figured that," said Barry.

"Okay, so we failed now, but we can try again," said Caitlin.

"And do you think he's gonna let us get close to him?" questioned Barry. "He's 'me', Caitlin. I remember what I was like when I was broken. I refused to let anyone in. I refused any kind of help. Imagine me but a hundred times more broken. How am I gonna get him to listen to me again?"

"You're Barry," said Caitlin with a smile. "You'll figure it out. You always do."

"But until then, Tracy needs to keep working on the trap, just in case," said Barry.

"Exactly what I had in mind," said Caitlin.

"Where's Lisa now?" asked Barry. "Oh, wait, never mind. Don't tell me. You probably don't want Savitar to know."

"No, I don't," said Caitlin. "Point is, she's safe now."

"So, uh, are we gonna talk about last night?" asked Barry.

"What about last night?" Caitlin didn't know what he meant.

Barry scratches the back of his head, embarrassed that he brought it up. "Uh... you know what, never mind. We got more problems to deal it besides... us."

"Goodnight, Barry," said Caitlin.

"Goodnight," said Barry.

After closing the door behind her, Caitlin puts on a smile. She knew what Barry was talking about. It was their almost-kiss last night. She blushed at the memory as she walked back home. The only other thing on her mind is, "Why would Barry want to talk about that?"

* * *

Back in the house belong to "Crystal Frost", Caitlin was just reading a book in the living room until she heard someone coming in through the window. She didn't need to look up from her book to know who it is.

"Hey, Laurel," she said. "Here to tell me that I owe you for today?"

"Not exactly," said Laurel, sitting down on the couch. "I'm only half-glad of what I did for you."

"Good to know," said Caitlin.

"I'm not taking that offer, though," said Laurel.

"Why not?" asked Caitlin. "I mean, I half-expected that you would deny it, but why?"

"I'm not interested in passing myself off as something I'm not, Snow," said Laurel. "I mean, 'Dinah Drake', seriously? You can come up with less obvious names than that."

"Well, I did rename myself, 'Crystal Frost'," said Caitlin.

"Point taken," said Laurel. "But still, I can't let you let the Flash and his team take back Central City."

"So, you want to keep killing and wrecking havoc, is that it?" guessed Caitlin sarcastically.

"But I will help Flash save you from Savitar," said Laurel.

"I don't need protection from anyone, Lance," said Caitlin.

"Of course not, but I'm not losing my partner-in-crime again," said Laurel. "See you next time."

"Oh, we will," said Caitlin.

Caitlin resumes reading her book while Laurel exits the house through the window she used to enter.

 **Remember 3x22 ("Infantino Street")? That's what's coming next. So, put on a coat and some mittens 'cause it's about to get COLD in the later chapters. Pun intended.**


	20. Runnin' Out of Time

**In case some of you have noticed, or not, Wally and Jesse's names have been removed from the summary. I've noticed that I haven't written much about them, but to tell you the truth, I only used their names to keep the solution of the "Crystal Frost" mystery from being spoiled. Although, since it was pretty much obvious who Crystal Frost is in this story, I thought I might as well add her name to the list above. If there if a 4th character vital to this story, it's Lisa Snart/Golden Glider.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to jessicabiggs16, Steve993, NeoTyson, and Guest for reviewing the previous chapter.**

Tracy Brand is almost finished with the Speed Force trap for Savitar. However, there is one problem. The Speed Force Bazooka needs 3.86 terajoules of energy in order to trap Savitar in the Speed Force. Cisco spends his time in the lab twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, looking for a power source to power the Speed Force Bazooka, to no avail.

Seconds ticked by. Hours passed by quickly. The days come and go in the blink of an eye.

While Team Flash is equally focused on stopping Savitar and saving the one person who has been helping Barry cope with his grief, Barry is more focused on saving said person than stopping Savitar, especially since he is the only one of the team who knows Crystal Frost's true identity.

Meanwhile, Wally and Jesse continue trying to regain control of Central City from the Rogues. With Lisa Snart operating in behind the scenes because Caitlin told her to, it was slightly harder for the Rogues to keep the speedsters in check. Fortunately for them, Lisa has a wild card. Her name is Black Siren. On October 16, Black Siren hits Jesse Quick with her sonic scream, causing her to crash into an unstable building. Kid Flash saves her, but not before half the building comes down on her.

According to Crystal Frost, it will take, hopefully, a week for Jesse's wounds to recover, so long as she stays in bed. Until then, Team Flash is down to two speedsters.

* * *

October 22, 2017  
11:57 PM

Caitlin Snow couldn't sleep. With the knowledge that her death at the hands of Savitar comes in twenty-four hours, she couldn't rest peacefully tonight. So, she stayed up and reads a novel called _Story of Your Life_. It was one of her favorite books. She even watched the movie based on the book, which was called _Arrival_. She loved it as well.

Her reading was interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Barry, holding two cups of coffee.

"Isn't it a little too late for coffee?" said Caitlin.

"Coffee. Pretty much the drink of our lives," commented Barry.

"Come in, then," said Caitlin.

The two sit down on the couch and drink coffee together.

"So, any luck?" asked Caitlin, referring to Cisco's search for a power source.

"Not as much as the last three weeks," said Barry.

"I'm not scared, Barry," said Caitlin.

"But I am," said Barry. "I just got you back, and now... soon... I have to face the possibility that I might lose you again."

"What happened to the optimistic Barry Allen I knew?" asked Caitlin. "Did I take that away from you permanently?"

"Of course I'm still holding on to hope," said Barry. "But that doesn't mean I don't have to scared. I should be. And I am."

"You'll find a way, Barry. You always do," said Caitlin. "I trust you with my life, you know that."

"I guess after everything you... Killer Frost... put me through, it's hard to feel completely hopeful," said Barry.

"I still can't believe you're still referring to Killer Frost as if she's not me," said Catilin. "Barry, she 'is' me."

"You would never want to kill me or Iris," said Barry.

"Is this your way of coping?" asked Caitlin.

"No," said Barry. "I'm just seeing the way I always see things."

"You haven't told anyone, have you?" asked Caitlin.

"No, I haven't" said Barry honestly.

"Good," said Caitlin.

"Have you decided if you want to stay or leave?" asked Barry.

"I think I'd rather wait until October 24 to make my decision, assuming I live through October 23," said Caitlin.

Barry holds Caitlin's hand. She looks at him. He was wearing a smile on his face.

"I will save you," said Barry. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Caitlin didn't know if she was hallucinating or not, but she can see Barry slowly leaning towards her. She was about to back away, until his lips met hers. She didn't retreat. After their lips parted, Caitlin looked more confused than ever in her life.

"What was that for?" asked Caitlin.

"That was my way of saying, well, what I told you back at S.T.A.R. Labs was no lie," said Barry.

Caitlin wanted to say something, but she didn't know what to say. She blinks rapidly, trying to see if she was dreaming. She can still see Barry right in front of her with a smile on his face. He just kissed the woman who killed the girl he loved, she thought. Why would he do that?

"I think you should go," said Caitlin.

"What?" asked Barry.

"Leave, Barry," insisted Caitlin.

Barry didn't argue and left the house. Caitlin remains sitting on the couch, trying to process what just happened.

* * *

At the following morning, Cisco calls Barry, telling him that he found something that could power the Speed Force Bazooka. It was at A.R.G.U.S. They contacted Lyla and asked her to meet with them. They arrived to see Lyla standing outside the building, waiting for them.

"Any reason why we can't talk inside?" asked Cisco.

"Every square inch of that building is bugged," said Lyla. "It's better to talk out here

"Well, I love the breeze," commented Cisco.

"But you're gonna have to run me through what you need again," said Lyla.

"Okay, so, uh, you know that Savitar's back, right?" started Cisco.

"Yes, Cisco, I'm aware that A.R.G.U.S. is missing a metal suit of armor that belongs to someone with that alias," said Lyla sarcastically.

"Well, we found a way to stop him," said Cisco. "We're building this bazooka."

"In order to power it, we need something extremely powerful," said Barry.

"So, I programmed our satellite to look for something that has our specific energy requirements," said Cisco. "And, wouldn't you know, we found what we need. It's right there in your building."

"I don't think you should be spying on me, Cisco," said Lyla.

"Is it spying if we're friends?" asked Cisco.

"But he's right, isn't he? You have something in there, don't you?" asked Barry.

Lyla was silent for a few seconds before she spoke. "It's a power source from the unidentified flying vessel found two months ago."

"The alien spaceship that crashed outside Central City?" asked Cisco.

"Yes," comfirmed Lyla.

"Any reason A.R.G.U.S. hasn't warned us of an invasion?" asked Cisco.

"The ship was empty," said Lyla.

"Oh," reacted Cisco.

"But it's powerful, right? Something along the lines of... 3.86 terajoules of energy?" asked Barry.

"3.91, in fact," said Lyla.

Barry smiles, feeling his hopes lifting.

"You can't have it, Barry," said Lyla.

Barry's smile drops.

"Why?" he asked. "Is this because of baby Sara?"

Lyla's slack-jawed expression is a clear "yes" to Barry.

"Look, I'll admit, it's been hard not to wonder what it would've been like to have a daughter instead of a son," said Lyla. "But this is less about what happened than why it happened."

"I made a big mistake," said Barry.

"Exactly my concern," said Lyla. "This is the kind of technology that wars are fought over. If it gets into the wrong hands, people will die. And frankly, I don't know if I can trust you to have it."

"Director Michaels," a military general called.

"I got to go," said Lyla to Barry and Cisco.

"Lyla, if we don't use this, Savitar will kill someone I care about. Tonight," said Barry, pleading Lyla to change her mind.

Lyla seemed moved, but her words sounded the opposite.

"I'm sorry, Barry," she said.

* * *

Back at Mercury Labs...

"Are you serious?" asked Joe.

"Yeah," said Barry. "If Lyla won't let us have the alien technology, then Wally and I will break into A.R.G.U.S. and we're gonna steal it. Wally and I will phase through the walls. We'll be in and out before anyone even gets off a shot."

"Uh-uh, no you won't," said Cisco.

"What?" asked Barry.

Cisco shows an image of a device he scanned within A.R.G.U.S., via satellite.

"What is that?" asked H.R.

"A metahuman power dampener," answered Cisco. "It's all over the building, so, well, you know."

"There goes that plan," said Wally sarcastically.

"Guys, I have a suggestion," said H.R. "Why don't we put Ms. Frost on a plane to Paris or..."

"There's nowhere on Earth that Savitar wouldn't find her," said Barry. "This alien technology is the only thing that can power the Speed Force Bazooka. We don't have another option."

"Barry, we're talking about A.R.G.U.S.," reminded Wally. "Think of the Pentagon's security times a hundred, plus power-dampening tech. How are we gonna be able to steal the tech?"

Cisco shows the blueprint of A.R.G.U.S. Headquarters' interior. He enumerates the kind of security they're dealing with. "Surveillance cameras. Eye scans. Palm prints. Heat sensors. Laser sensors," he said.

"They really thought of everything," commented H.R.

"And that's just the first floor," added Cisco.

"So, you're saying this is the most fortified structure in the history of fortified structures, they can't use their superpowers, and we have less than 14 hours to steal the thing?" asked Joe, recapping every problem they're facing.

"And none of us are experts in the art of theft," added Crystal. "I have to turn myself over."

"No, Crystal, you can't," said Barry.

"I'm just a psychologist from next door, Barry. I'm nothing to you," said Crystal.

"No, you are something to me," said Barry. "You're not just a girl who is helping me move on from Iris' death. You're my friend. I'm not turning my back on you."

H.R. whispers to Cisco, "If you ask me, he's moved on already. Can you see the love in those eyes?"

"Not now," whispered Cisco.

"I'm gonna call Felicity," said Barry, grabbing his phone.

"Why?" asked Joe.

"I need her to send a message to someone," said Barry.

Barry leaves the lab as he calls Felicity.

* * *

Barry, wearing his Flash suit, runs to a forest located miles away from Keystone. He arrives just in time to see the Waverider appear in the sky. It lands in a wide-open space in the forest, close to where Barry is standing. The cargo bay door opens and two individuals come out of the time ship. They were Sara Lance and Leonard Snart.

"Hey, guys," greeted Barry.

"Hey, Barry," greeted Sara, giving Barry a hug. "Good to see you back in red."

"Don't expect a hug from me, though," said Leonard.

"Good to see you too, Leonard," said Barry.

"We got Felicity's message," said Sara. "What do you need?"

"I need Snart to hlep me with a mission," said Barry.

"I'm already on a mission," said Leonard. "I assume you've heard about Jurassic Park in Los Angeles. Well, that kind of temporal mess is everywhere."

"This won't take long," said Barry.

"Why exactly me, and why only me, Allen?" asked Leonard.

"Well, you have a... particular set of skills," said Barry.

"Great movie," commented Leonard, referring to _Taken_. "Why exactly do you need my expertise in thievery?"

Barry scratches the back of his head, trying to find the right words in order to explain the situation.

"Sometime today, Flash," said an impatient Leonard.

"We need to break into A.R.G.U.S. and steal an alien power source," answered Barry.

"The Flash, a thief, hmm?" Leonard smirked. "That's my kind of mission. One condition: my rules."

"Your rules," agreed Barry.

"Mind explaining why the Flash, all of a sudden, decided to become a thief," asked Sara.

"Savitar's back," said Barry.

Sara responds with a shocked look on her face.

"He's going to kill someone love at midnight. The trap we're building for him, it's in A.R.G.U.S.," said Barry.

"And considering the fact that you're planning to steal this power source, I assume Lyla said no on giving it to you," guessed Sara.

Barry nods.

"If Savitar's back, then we're staying," said Sara.

"No. No, you can't," said Barry. "I don't need any more deaths on my conscience. I created Savitar. He's my mess to clean. I just need Leonard's help in stealing the one thing that can stop him."

"Just be sure you bring him back in one piece," said Sara.

"No problem," said Barry. He sees a ring on Sara's finger and says, "Congratulations."

Sara looks at the ring on her finger and smiles at Leonard, who smiles back at her.

"You should've seen the way he proposed," said Sara. "It was so... him."

"You guys planning the wedding yet?" asked Barry.

"As soon as we're finished repairing every crack in the time, we will," said Leonard.

* * *

Back at Mercury Labs, Team Flash just relaxed while they wait for Barry to return. The only one who isn't relaxing are Cisco and H.R. H.R., because he keeps going on about his plan of putting Crystal on a plane to escape from Savitar. Cisco, because he is the person H.R. is discussing his plan with.

"I know we don't have a plane. We steal a plane. We'll put it back, all right? Then we parachute out of the plane, and land on the roof, gotta land on the right roof, and then, whoosh, right down air ducts _Mission: Improbable_ style. Easy," said H.R., spreading his arms like the wings of a plane.

"Easy? What about the counter-terrorism missiles?" Cisco pointed out.

"Whaaat?" H.R. was confused.

Barry returns to the lab with Leonard Snart.

"Hello, Joe. Cisco. H.R. Wally," greeted Leonard. He then lays his eyes on the girl who looks like the one who killed his partner in crime. "And you must be Crystal Frost, Barry's friend/psychologist with a prophecy of death hanging over her head. Name's a bit of a coincidence, isn't it?"

"Yeah, pretty much," said Crystal.

"And where's Kid Flash's girlfriend?" asked Leonard.

"In the medical bay," answered Wally.

"My apologies," replied Leonard with sincere sympathy.

"Snart, what the hell are you doing here?" asked Joe.

"Snart's gonna help me break into A.R.G.U.S. and get the power source," answered Barry.

H.R. started spluttering, baffled by Leonard's presence and the reason for his presence. "Huh?" he asked.

"Awkward," replied Leonard. "If anyone needs me, I'll be busy planning our heist. Ms. Frost, mind accompanying me?"

"Um, sure," said Crystal.

Leonard leaves the lab with Crystal.

"Barry, are you sure about this?" asked Wally.

"Snart's not a criminal anymore," said Barry.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he's all of a sudden the humble Mayor Snart of Earth-2," said Cisco.

"Snart's a mayor on Earth-2?" asked Joe.

"Yeah, I watched the news while we were there," said Cisco.

* * *

Leonard called Team Flash to the other lab as soon as he was. He had the blueprints of A.R.G.U.S. Headquarters pasted on a glassboard.

"My guess is that the power source is most likely 'here'," said Leonard, pointing at the lowest floor.

"Why there?" asked Joe.

"Because it's the deepest part of the facility," answered Leonard. "If it's as valuable as you say it is, then the deepest recesses of any facility are usually the most secure."

"Smart, Snart," replied Cisco. He started laughing at his own joke.

No one was amused, including Leonard.

"I'm gonna, uh, keep trying to hack in A.R.G.U.S. systems," said Cisco, removing himself from the awkward moment.

"Now, there are four rules you need to remember," said Leonard. "Make the plan. Execute the plan. Expect the plan to go off the rails. Throw away the plan."

"Just one thing, though. Do you have a plan for how to get in?" asked Joe.

"As a matter of fact, I do have one," said Leonard.

"What is it?" asked Barry.

"We use me."

The chilling voice came from who appears to be Killer Frost, standing by the door. Haunted his past memories triggered by the sight of her, Barry runs towards her and pins her to the wall, his arm pressed against her throat.

"Barry!" Leonard shouted.

The woman pulls off her white wig, revealing herself to be Crystal Frost. Barry releases her, feeling ashamed of what he did. The others sighed with relief, glad to know that the white-haired woman wasn't who they thought it was.

Crystal had applied make-up to make her lips blue and her skin a bit more pale. She wore icy white contact lenses to make her eyes appear like they're glowing. She was able to mimic Killer Frost's ice-cold voice with a voice modulator.

"Sorry," apologized Barry.

"I suppose I should've knocked first," commented Crystal.

Wally looks at Leonard and asks, "That's you plan? Trick A.R.G.U.S. into believing that Killer Frost is alive?"

"I would've used myself, but I'm an engaged man," said Leonard. "My fiance wouldn't like it if I threw myself back into America's Most Wanted."

"Oh, well, congratulations then," said Wally.

H.R. and Tracy arrive at the lab. Tracy was holding two cups of coffee. When H.R. saw Barry in his Flash suit with his cowl off, he covered Tracy's eyes.

"Uh, Flash, cowl on. We got civilians in the house," said H.R.

"H.R., it's okay. We're trusting Tracy with our lives. We can trust her with my identity," said Barry.

H.R. removes his hands from Tracy's sight. Tracy sees who the Flash really is.

"Oh, uh, hi," greeted Tracy.

"Barry Allen," said the Flash, introducing himself. "I'm Detective West's adoptive son."

"Well, nice to know the real you," said Tracy.

H.R. and Tracy walk along. Joe, Cisco, Wally, and Leonard leave the room. That just leaves Barry and Crystal (or Caitlin) alone together.

"I can't believe you did that," said Caitlin, referring to what happened earlier. "You already know who I really am."

"I'm really sorry," Barry apologized again. "I mean, I knew who you are, yes, but this is the first time I saw all of Killer Frost. Last time 'Crystal' dressed like her, she only put on a white wig."

"Well, Snart's plan is to make me look like the real deal, so 'Crystal Frost' has to really look the part," said Caitlin.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Barry.

"You heard Leonard. He can't just pretend to be a criminal again with him being engaged and all, so someone else has to play the Trojan horse," said Caitlin.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Rogues' warehouse, Lisa was lying down on a rusty old couch while listening to some hip-hop music. The only other person in the room with her is her wild card, Black Siren, who was currently drinking a blackberry smoothie.

"You look bored," said Black Siren.

"Obviously," said Golden Glider. "Good thing today is October 23. Once Savitar is gone, I can finally get out of here."

"True, but you also have to deal with the Flash's inevitable return to Central City," said Black Siren.

"We'll be ready," said Golden Glider.

"No, you won't!"

The familiar voice echoed through the walls. A streak of white lightning zooms in and knocks out Black Siren. It was Savitar.

"Hello, Lisa," greeted Savitar.

"I thought Caitlin got you to leave the city," said Lisa.

"She did, but after weeks of searching, I have come to the realization that I have been fooled again," said Savitar. "After all, why would Caitlin, disguised as you, let a security camera catch you leaving the city unless she wanted me to think you did?"

Savitar grabs Lisa by the throat and holds her against the wall.

"Our business is not yet finished," said Savitar.

"You only have a few more hours before you're gone forever, tin man," said Lisa.

"And so does Caitlin Snow," said Savitar.

 **Well, what do you think? Leave a review and let me know. Don't hesitate to ask any questions if you have any.**


	21. Racing Against The Clock

**I know I haven't updated in a while, but a certain Guest sent a "please update" review on another story of mine. So, I decided to continue. It's just that now Descendants 2 is out, I wanna return to my Descendants stories, which means an indefinitely long HIATUS for my Arrowverse stories. Sorry about that.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please (be sure to actually talk about the story - sorry if that sounded paranoid but I am).**

 **Special thanks to XWF1000 (haven't seen you in a long time), NeoTyson, and Steve993 for reviewing the previous chapter.**

 ** _To Guest_ (who sent a _please update_ review on "The Kids From The Isle"): Please don't review a story of mine unless you're actually gonna talk about the story itself. I know it's been a long time since I updated this story, but if you're gonna beg, beg on an Arrowverse story of mine. (Just to let you know, I receive online messages of WHERE and WHEN I get a review, so, please, next time, don't message me through one of my non-Arrowverse stories unless you're gonna talk about the story itself). I am sorry if this sounded rude, but sincerely, I am upset. This is just happening way too many times.**

Barry, Leonard, and Crystal were ready to leave Mercury Labs and head for A.R.G.U.S. Headquarters. Barry puts on a wrist watch that says "03:45:00". He pushes the button that starts the countdown.

"What's that?" asked Leonard.

"How much we have left," answered Barry.

"Before what?" asked Leonard.

"Before I die," said Crystal.

"One question: If A.R.G.U.S. HQ has these metahuman power dampeners, why can't we just keep Ms. Frost here safely locked up there for the meantime?" questioned Leonard.

"Savitar is just a man, but his suit is more than just a piece of metal. It keeps him from overloading himself with static charge, allowing him to run at an immensely high speed without disintegrating himself. It's because of that it can also bypass power dampeners," said Barry.

"And that's why we need that power source fast," said Crystal.

"Let's get this show on the road," said Leonard, sounding eager to get the heist started. "Still remember the trick I taught you?"

"Prepare to be amazed," said Crystal sarcastically.

* * *

At A.R.G.U.S. Headquarters in Star City, Director Lyla Michaels was leaving with a military general to San Francisco, via chopper. A few seconds after Lyla and the general left through the door, the A.R.G.U.S. director re-entered, accompanied by Leonard Snart and Killer Frost, who is in power-dampening cuffs. The two agents at the reception noticed their entrance.

"Director Michaels? I thought you were on route to San Francisco," said one agent.

"Plan's changed," said Lyla. "I received an unexpected gift from the Flash."

The agent lays his eyes on the white-haired metahuman. "Killer Frost?" He said with surprise.

"Always nice to meet an admirer," said Killer Frost.

"I thought she was dead," said the agent.

"Oliver Queen. Andrew Diggle. Laurel Lance. We've seen quite a number of people who were believed to be dead turn out to be alive," said Lyla.

"I'm always 11 steps ahead of everyone, including death," said Killer Frost with a sinister smile.

"And yet, you're here in cuffs," pointed out Leonard.

"What's Captain Cold doing here?" asked the agent.

"I'm taking the prisoner to lock up," said Lyla. "The Flash asked Mr. Snart here to make sure the lock up goes successful without any interference."

"It's still really hard to believe you became a hero," said the other agent to Snart.

"If you want my autograph, I'd be happy to oblige," said Leonard sarcastically. "Can we hurry this up? I have a wedding to plan."

"Congratulations, then," said the agent. "We just need Director Michaels' I.D."

Lyla scans her I.D. card and then takes the eye scan.

"You boys really dot the Is and cross the Ts," commented Leonard.

"Finally, Director Michaels: Elvis Banana," said the agent.

...

"What the heck?" Cisco wondered, listening to the whole thing through the comm-link.

"Word association," guessed H.R. "Barry must have to come up with the next correct words in the sequence."

"Like 'peanut butter, bacon,'" said Tracy.

Cisco pushes the button on the comm-link and says, "Barry, you're gonna have to stall."

...

"I repeat, Director. Elvis Banana," repeated the agent.

Not knowing what to say next, "Lyla" grabs Leonard's Cold Gun and jumps on the reception table, kicks one agent in the chest, knocking him down, and then kicks the other in the stomach. "She" punches the agent to "her" right in the stomach before knocking him out with the gun. The agent on the floor gets up and engages "Lyla", only to get hit in the face with the Cold Gun. "Lyla" then knocks him out by slamming his face on the desk.

After making sure both agents are out cold, "Lyla" takes out a facial transmogrifier and changes her appearance. She turns out to be Barry in disguise all along.

"My, my, my, getting rather violent in your young age," commented Leonard, impressed.

"I dig it," joked Crystal.

"Yeah, and what were you two doing?" asked Barry.

Crystal twists her wrists and fingers, removing the cuffs.

"Snart taught me," said Crystal.

"Neat trick," said Barry.

"It was Neat trick, yourself," said Leonard, referring to the disguise.

"Facial transmogrifier from H.R.'s earth," Barry explained.

Barry gives Leonard back his Cold Gun. Crystal throws the cuffs away.

"Nice one, Dr. Frost," said Leonard, impressed by how well she executed the escape trick he taught her.

"Don't you mean, 'ice' job," quipped Crystal, laughing.

Leonard didn't need to laugh to show he was amused. His wide smirk says it all.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the medical bay, Wally was sitting right by the still-unconscious Jessie. Her wounds were still healing and her vitals have yet to rise back to normal level, well, normal level for speedsters. Wally holds her hand as he begs for her to wake up. Seeing her like this hurts him. It just reminded him of that dreadful day where he feared he was gonna lose her.

"C'mon, Jessie. Wake up, please," begged Wally. "You're one of the strongest people I know. You can't let this defeat you."

"You know she'll wake eventually, Wallace."

Wally turns around and sees H.R. standing at the door, twirling a drumstick with his fingers as usual.

"I just want to see her open her eyes to be sure," said Wally.

"Just like you said, Wallace, she's a strong woman. Speedster or not, she's not gonna let what happened

"You weren't there, H.R.," said Wally, consumed with fear and hopelessness. "Black Siren sonic-boomed me through a concrete wall. I was down. When I finally woke up, I see Jesse getting knocked into a building. It started coming down on her. I was lucky enough to save her, but I wasn't fast enough to save her soon enough."

H.R. can see that Wally is really broken from what happened that day. He can't really blame him because he didn't what it looked like from Wally's perspective. He may have seen how badly wounded Jesse was, but he wasn't out there losing his mind from almost failing to save her. He walks towards the young speedster and places a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"I may not know 100% how you feel," admitted H.R. "But I will tell you this. Jesse will not quit on you. I don't need mind-reading powers to know what she's thinking right now. I know, I just know that she's thinking about you, how much she cares about you, how much she loves you. That, Wallace, is what's gonna keep her fighting to stay alive. I know it. You know it."

Wally was hoping that H.R. was right. Deep down, he "knows" that H.R. is right. Jesse wouldn't be close to full health if she was letting herself get worse. He can only keep hoping that his presence will help her wake up sooner. He holds her hand with both of his own as he continues to wait.

"Thanks, H.R.," said Wally.

"Well, someone here needs to be sure you still have hope," said H.R. "That's what Team Flash is all about, right?"

"Hope," said Wally, smiling a little.

"Well, I guess I should leave you two alone," said H.R., walking out the door. "Stay hopeful, Wallace."

"I'll try," said Wallace.

* * *

Barry, Leonard, and Crystal take the west elevator to the lowest underground floor of the facility. As they try to locate where the alien power source is, they walk by some reinforced cells housing dangerous criminals from Central City to Star City.

Cupid.

China White.

Tokamak.

Plunder.

There was one name that they were unfamiliar with. Cheetah.

"This must be where Waller kept her Suicide Squad," said Crystal.

"And how do you know about that?" asked Leonard.

"I do my research," said Crystal nonchalantly.

"Care to explain who 'Cheetah' is?" asked Leonard.

"Barbara Ann Minerva. Archaeologist. Discovered an artifact that triggered a physical transformation. Her entire physiology now resembles a, well, cheetah," said Crystal.

"Guys, I think I found it," said Barry.

Barry leads Leonard and Crystal towards a door with a small window on it, allowing them to see an extraterrestrial device. The big red orb must be where the power source is, Barry guessed.

Barry taps into his earpiece. "Cisco, we found it."

For some reason, all Barry can hear is static. Barry walks back to find a spot that has a strong signal, while Leonard takes a look at the control panel.

"Cisco, can you hear me?" asked Barry, checking the signal.

 _"Loud and clear," said Cisco._

"We found it," said Barry. "But there seems to be a signal interference at the end of the hall and the lock is the Montgomery 3000.

 _"The Montgomery 3000," said Cisco with awe and worry._

 _"Is that bad?" asked H.R._

 _"We're looking at a 25-ton door that can withstand a 30-megaton nuclear blast. Aside from being completely bombproof, the Montgomery 3000 can only be unlocked by a voice-recognition system necessitating three different pass-codes from three different people, and as if that weren't already enough, the thing cost $10 million to build," said Cisco._

Barry hears a metal clink right behind him. Leonard had opened the control panel and rewired the circuitry to unlock the door.

"Thirty-seven seconds. I must be out of practice," said Leonard, feeling proud of himself.

"Well, A.R.G.U.S. should ask for their money back," commented Barry.

Barry and Leonard started lifting the door open, until Crystal grabbed their arms.

"What?" asked Barry.

"Something doesn't feel right," said Crystal. "There's another door in that room."

"Make the plan, execute the plan," reminded Leonard. "Remember the next rule?"

All of a sudden, King Shark shows himself and roars, causing the three to remove their faces from the window.

"Expect the plan to go off the rails," remembered Barry.

As King Shark continues to patrol the room, the three infiltrators literally lay low and discuss the situation.

"I've seen a lot of things, but a half-man, half-shark takes the cake," said Leonard.

"I can't believe A.R.G.U.S. turned King Shark into a guard dog," said Barry.

"King Shark? That's adorable," replied Leonard, amused by the nickname. "I suppose next you're gonna tell me he once led an army of mutant sharks who also wear pants."

"No, it's just the one," said Barry.

"We can talk about the ridiculousness of a shark wearing pants later. Right now, we need to find a way to get that thing away from the power source," said Crystal.

"Afraid to die, aren't we, Ms. Frost?" replied Leonard.

"I'm not afraid to die, Snart," said Crystal. "I'm afraid of what will happen to Barry afterwards."

Barry looks at Leonard and says, "Give me your Cold Gun."

"So you can do what, exactly?" Leonard knew the answer, but he asked anyway.

"There's only one way that tech's getting out of here," said Barry.

Leonard started smirking, finding amusement in his realization. Crystal had a concerned look on her face.

"Barry, have you lost your marbles?" criticized Crystal.

"I see what's going on here," said Leonard. "You didn't just recruit me for my skills as a thief. You wanted a partner who wouldn't mind if you got all murder-y."

"This is Savitar we're talking about," reminded Barry. "Give me your gun."

"Allen, you do realize I am not the same Rogue as I once was," said Leonard. "What makes you think I will be a-okay with cold-blooded murder? Pun intended."

"Last time you guys were here, Sara told me you still shoot to kill," said Barry.

"Only when necessary, not because it's fun," said Leonard. "Who do you take me for, Barry? The woman our friend here is pretending to be?"

"Well, I am not 'her,' so I am not approving this," said Crystal.

"Snart, this 'is' necessary," said Barry, emphasizing "is."

"No, you want to kill King Shark because you're desperate to save your psychiatrist," said Leonard.

"Snart, give me the gun," insisted Barry again.

"Snart, do not give him the gun," said Crystal.

"Wasn't planning to," said Leonard.

"Barry, I know you're willing to do whatever it takes to save me, but you shouldn't lose yourself in the process," said Crystal.

"I can't let Savitar take you away from me, not again," argued Barry.

"Barry!" Crystal whisper-shouted.

Barry realizes that he said "again" and looks at Leonard, who was staring with his signature smirk.

"It's okay, Allen. I know," said Leonard.

"Wait, what?" asked a surprised Crystal.

"You think I'm stupid, Snow?" questioned Leonard. "You really expect me to believe you're some doppelganger?"

"If you knew, then why didn't you try to kill me when we were alone?" asked Crystal.

"Because Barry here cares about you," said Leonard.

Crystal was surprised that Leonard made the choice to let her live. He had his chance when they were alone, but instead, he told her about his plan to disguise her as Killer Frost so he and Barry have someone to turn over to A.R.G.U.S. He truly has changed, she thought. Sara would be really proud of him if she heard about this.

"We can talk about this later," said Barry. "Snart, give me the gun, now."

Crystal turns off her voice modulator. "Barry, you know I would never pass up a good kill. Caitlin Snow... I... always had a killer inside me. Killer Frost helped her see that. But I'm trying to change my ways. As much as I want King Shark dead, I can't let you do it. You're the Flash. The Flash doesn't kill. That's what makes him a hero. Everyone's hero. You can't just throw that moral code away just for me."

"I'm not discussing any further," said Barry. "Give me the gun."

Leonard decided not to argue and gives Barry his Cold Gun, much to Crystal's chagrin. Barry aims the gun at King Shark. There was only one obstacle, however. The door.

"Open the door," he ordered.

No one laid a finger on the door.

"Open the door," he ordered again.

"Have you seen Shark Week, Barry?" asked Leonard suddenly. "Me, I can't get enough of it. Good thing the Waverider has cable."

King Shark turns around and looks at the window again, causing Barry to duck and hide.

"Your point?" asked Barry.

"Most sharks are cold-blooded," said Leonard.

"The great white shark, like King Shark, on the other hand, is partially warm-blooded," said Crystal.

"He's susceptible to cold," Barry realized.

Leonard looks at Crystal, wondering how she knew about the great white shark's blood temperature.

"I read Dr. Lamden's research on sharks. Very interesting," explained Crystal.

"Never strays into water colder than 53.6 degrees Fahrenheit," continued Leonard. "If we lower the temperature in that room to 53.5 degrees Fahrenheit, King Shark should sleep like a little baby."

"Or you can kill him and show Savitar that you two are much alike, your choice," said Crystal.

Barry thinks about his choice. On one hand, he kills King Shark and they don't have to worry about anyone getting in their way once they grabbed the power source. On the other hand, they put King Shark to sleep long enough for them to make a grab-and-run. In the end, Barry gives the Cold Gun back to the ex-thief.

Leonard takes out the Cold Gun's cryo disc from the core.

"Throw away the plan," said Leonard.

He throws the disc into the room through the partially-opened door. The disc releases cold smoke that decreases the temperature in the room to below 53.6 degrees Fahrenheit. King Shark started to fall asleep. The metahuman collapses to a slumber. The smoke in the room was so thick, King Shark's body was unseen.

* * *

Back in Mercury Labs, Tracy spent her free time making a coffee maker, which she was now using to make coffee for H.R.

"Tracy Brand, you are a genius," said H.R., drinking his coffee.

"Thank you," said Tracy.

"I feel like the luckiest man in the world," said H.R. "Team Flash, they're family, but to be honest with you, I never really felt like I belong. I lack a clear sense of purpose, but then you came along."

"Me?" asked Tracy, surprised and confused.

"When you came here, I finally understood my purpose," said H.R. "It's us. You and me. Meeting each other, it's felt so powerful."

"But H.R., you're from another Earth and I'm an unemployed, former grad student," said Tracy, afraid of where this was going.

"Come work here in Mercury Labs with me," H.R. begged. "I mean, Dr. McGee is impressed. She will hire you in a heartbeat. She pays well, I should know. Cisco gets a raise once in a while. But the most important thing is that we'd be together. Imagine, me inspiring you, and you applying that inspiration, and us changing the world, and us drinking so much coffee."

Tracy was starting to feel jittery from excitement, no longer afraid but instead happy about where this is going. H.R. gets down on one knee and looks up at Tracy with a big smile on his face. The fact that he looked like he was gonna propose made Tracy feel more excited about what's going to happen.

"Tracy Brand, will you do me the honor of joining Team Flash?" H.R. proposed.

"With you, I'd love to," answered Tracy.

The smiles on H.R. and Tracy's faces grew wider as they leaned closer to each other. They wrap their arms around each other and kiss. This kiss was filled with much more passion than the last one.

Cisco walks in to talk to H.R., only to witness the kissing session between him and the future physicist. Instead of reacting out of loud, he covers his mouth and quietly leaves the room.

* * *

Leonard elbows the control panel, opening the door.

Barry, Leonard, and Crystal slowly walk into the room. Suddenly, they heard growling in the smoke. King Shark was not asleep. He was awake, if barely.

"It's just like Jaws. They can't show the shark because they can't afford to make it look good," commented Leonard.

The three continues to walk towards the alien device. They made sure to stay out of the middle of the path because that's where King Shark is, proven by his fin briefly rising from the smoke.

"How long do you think he'll stay asleep?" asked Barry.

"I like Shark Week. I'm not a marine biologist," said Leonard.

"I'm no marine biologist either, but I 'am' a biologist," said Crystal. "I say one minute, more or less. You ask me, you should've lowered the temperature a couple degrees lower."

"Studied a lot of cryogenics as Killer Frost, huh, Ms. Snow?" replied Leonard.

"Well, I needed to understand my powers so, yes, Mr. Snart, I did study plenty about cryogenics," said Crystal.

Barry heads towards the alien device while Crystal and Leonard keep an eye out for King Shark.

"I'm surprised, Cold," said Crystal. "You had your chance at revenge, but you didn't take it."

"A few months ago, I made the biggest mistake of my life," said Leonard. "Long story short, I had a chance to bring Mick back to life."

"The Spear of Destiny," guessed Crystal. "Eobard told me."

"Why am I not surprised you two found each other?" Leonard teased.

"I know what you did. You chose to use the Spear to bring Heat Wave back," said Crystal. "I told Eobard not to erase my memories once he changes reality. He upheld his end of our bargain. I was just living a quiet life as a biochemist in Coast City when I turned on the TV and see Captain Cold and Heat Wave robbing banks again."

"I was selfish. I was stupid," said Leonard. "But I learned my lesson. Mick's gone. I have to move on. Seeing you doesn't help, but I killing you does nothing. Besides, even without Mick, I have everything I could ever ask for. Redemption. A fiance who'll become my wife. Friends. Family."

Crystal felt proud of Leonard. The once cold-hearted criminal has now become a good man.

Barry looks closely at the big red orb in the center of the device. On top of the orb seems to be the power source. A handheld device shaped like a power cell. He grabs it and slowly pulls it out. Unfortunately, as soon as he did, the alarms sounded and the door started closing down literally. Barry, Crystal, and Leonard ran towards it, trying to get out before it closes. Barry and Crystal slide underneath the closing door. Leonard, however, failed to make, punching the door window in anger as it closed.

"Barry!" Leonard yelled.

Panic strikes Barry and Crystal. The alarms continue to sound, which causes even more panic.

"This place is gonna be crawling with A.R.G.U.S. agents in the next two minutes," said Leonard.

"Barry, we have to go," said Crystal.

"No, I won't leave him," said Barry.

"I thought you were gonna do whatever it takes to save me," said Crystal.

"Not if it means sacrificing a man who is going to get married soon. Sara would kill me," said Barry.

"Well, you have to make a choice fast. Save me or save him. You can't do both," said Crystal.

This choice begins to cause more worry for Barry. He walks towards the spot where his earpiece can get a signal. Crystal looks inside to see Leonard looking back, keeping an eye out for the mutant shark.

"Cisco, we need your help," said Barry into his earpiece. "Snart's trapped inside the cell with King Shark. You gotta open the door."

 _"I can't hack into the mainframe," said Cisco worriedly._

"Keep trying," said Barry.

Barry returns to the door.

"Cisco's working on it," he said. "Whatever you do, don't look behind you."

Leonard, however, looked behind him after hearing a roar. King Shark was awake. His eyes are laid on the former criminal mastermind.

"If Cisco saves my life, tell him I'll put in a good word with my sister," said Leonard.

Caitlin was to the other end of the hall and taps into her comm-link. "Hey, Cisco. Snart says that if you save him, he'll put in a good word with his sister," she said sarcastically.

Caitlin returns to Barry with a stoic expression on her face.

"No luck?" Leonard guessed.

"This isn't a fairytale where a hero is motivated by a price," said Crystal. "A.R.G.U.S.' mainframe is fifty times more secure than the Pentagon's. It'll take a team of Cisco Ramon's and Felicity Smoak's to hack into it in one minute."

"What about you?" asked Leonard. "You've improved in the field of technology during your 'cold' reign terror. Surely, this should be a cake walk for you."

Crystal takes a look at the control panel. She does a little rewiring, which opens the door halfway. Leonard starts crawling under, but King Shark grabs his leg, trying to pull him back in. Barry grabs Leonard's arm and tries to pull him out. King Shark was strong, but Barry was winning the fight. He manages to pull all of Leonard out of the door. King Shark, however, wasn't giving up just yet.

"Caitlin, now! Close it!" Barry said.

Crystal elbows the control panel, closing the door, chopping King Shark's hand off.

"Ouch!" Leonard reacted. "Been there."

The three look through the window to see King Shark's limb regenerating quickly. He was angry, but luckily for them, there was a door between them and the shark.

"Let's get out of here," said Barry.

Barry, Leonard, and Crystal turn and leave, only to be met by armed A.R.G.U.S. agents and one angry-looking director.

"Lyla, hey," Barry greeted her with a fake smile.

"Barry," Lyla greeted him with ire.

 **I'm gonna have to end it here. You probably know what's gonna happen next. In case you're gonna ask some questions, I'm gonna explain a few things:**

 **\- Leonard's story to Crystal/Caitlin is my version of the final episodes of Legends of Tomorrow Season 2. Remember, in my "Unforgivable" series, Mick died in "Unforgivable", which means he and Leonard switch places on who uses the Spear of Destiny to bring who back. I may have just spoiled what happens in my Legends of Tomorrow spin-off, "The Crook and the Assassin", but I am really starting to lose interest in continuing it, not because I don't want to continue but because it's as disappointing as my Arrow spin-off "Back to Lian Yu" (not enough love, from my perspective, at least).**

 **\- I referred to Caitlin as "Crystal" in this chapter because, well, she and Barry are not alone.**

 **\- In canon, Cisco hacked the mainframe to open the door to King Shark's cell. I didn't let it happen here because, according to Helix, A.R.G.U.S. systems are more secure than the Pentagon. I thought I'd emphasize that by writing another way to open the door.**

 **If you still have more questions, you may leave them in your review, if you choose to leave one.**


	22. Infantino Street

**We're nearing the "finish line", people. Pun intended (if you got it). Get ready and enjoy.**

 **First, I wanna share what I think about the new season so far.**

 **FLASH : It may only be two episodes, but I'm loving it so far. As much as I loved the dark tone of Season 3 (Yes, you heard me. I didn't mind the darkness), it's nice to see that the show has returned to a more lighthearted direction. Yes, it was kinda disappointing that Barry's return came too soon (it should've been in the second episode), but I'm not gonna let that keep me from enjoying the show. I just wish Wally had more of a role to play, since he was given much to do or had a real story so far. The second episode was definitely an LOL-fest. Between Barry's happy behavior, his suit's new functions (I definitely loved the part with the raft), and the therapy session with him and Iris, I cried and laughed for 45 minutes. Caitlin's Killer Frost arc remains one of my most favorite parts about the show, and I really want to know what's the deal with her and this "Amunet" person.**

 **ARROW : I'm really disappointed they didn't kill anyone off besides Samantha. It would be sad to see a beloved character go, but with an explosion like that... you know. At first, I thought it was Diggle and Thea who died, based on the sneak peek I watched before the episode, but, to be honest, I'm really happy that they're still alive. The action scenes are as exciting as ever and I am loving both Dinah and Rene's new costumes (even though it was kinda unnecessary to upgrade Wild Dog, but he looks bad-a). Black Siren had a very entertaining debut in the season and I am really looking forward to seeing more of her. Oliver's story arc as a father to William, well done so far. Baby steps and all that. Last we saw Oliver, he was giving up the Green Arrow mantle and passing it on to Diggle. We all know Oliver will get back in the suit. It's just a matter of "when".**

 **SUPERGIRL : I was surprised that the new season was going down a dark path, but since I loved Flash Season 3's dark tone, I figured I wouldn't mind. As an anti-Karamel person, obviously, it's annoying to hear about Kara constantly whining about Mon-El. At the same time, I'm marveled by Melissa Benoist's acting. She nails at showing the broken side of Supergirl and the hero's desire to not be human anymore. Lena taking over CatCo is a pretty interesting plot point and I am really waiting to see more of how she and James will handle their working relationship. Sam's subplot is truly captivating. A struggling mother who appears to have super strength... yikes. I already know who she is, but I am still anxious to see how her story will go down and how she will fit into Kara's world since she's working at L-Corp. Side note: Psi was a pretty impressive villain and her powers are terrifying. Morgan Edge, meanwhile, just makes me miss Maxwell Lord.**

 **LEGENDS OF TOMORROW : As always, the show is a lot of fun. Seeing how the Legends adjust to life after Rip disbanded them was truly hilarious (Sara imagining killing her manager. The Nate and Wally scene. Ray's lousy new job.) I especially loved Mick's quarrel with Caesar ("You ruined my vacation, and my nose."), as well as his fight against the clown in the second episode ("DIE CLOWN!"). Sara is bad-a as ever, Nate and Amaya are still as beautiful to watch as ever, the rest of the Legends never fail to amuse, whether it's Ray rejecting the name "shrink ray" for his gadget or Martin dressing up as a clown. It's sad that Victor Garber will be leaving soon, but I am still hoping the show can survive without him. There's only thing I don't like about the new season so far. Ava Sharpe. That woman is a [CENSORED].**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to godspeed 251, Steve993, NeoTyson, psychlover95 and Guest(s) for reviewing the previous chapter.**

 ** _To psychlover95_ (I'm answering the questions to your review in order): Yes. Highly doubtful. Savitar remembers Barry falling in love with Caitlin, so yes. You may want to wait. Can't say just yet. They'll surely be hostile towards Caitlin, "if" they find out who she is, that is. (Read your review again so you'll know which one I'm answering)**

Lyla takes Barry, Crystal, and Leonard outside of A.R.G.U.S. Headquarters to talk with them in private. The trio can see that Lyla was not happy about their little stunt tonight.

"I told you I couldn't this to you," said Lyla to Barry. "And you snuck in here anyway?"

"To save Caitlin's life, Lyla, I'll do anything," said Barry.

"Not anything," said Lyla. "I saw the whole thing on the security feed. You could've left Snart to die. You didn't. Instead, you risked your freedom and Caitlin's life to save him."

Lyla decides to give Barry the power source, much to his surprise.

"You're just gonna give it to me?" asked Barry.

"Just take it. I know you'd do the same thing for me if John's life were on the line," said Lyla.

"Thank you," said Barry, taking the power source from Lyla's hand.

"Just one thing," said Lyla, eyeing the white-haired woman. "Caitlin Snow is responsible for the deaths of over three thousand people and nearly demolished two cities to satisfy her vendetta. Why should I let her walk free after you stop Savitar?"

"Because she wants a second chance, Lyla," said Barry. "Look, I know I'm supposed to be madder than everyone else for what she did. She killed a lot of people. She killed Iris. I agree that she should face the consequences of her actions, but if she's seeking redemption, I have to give her that chance."

"Just keep your eyes on her at all times," said Lyla. "I'm trusting you on that, Barry."

"I'll keep you updated," promised Barry.

Lyla then turns her attention towards Leonard Snart.

"For helping the Flash save Central City, the Vice President pardoned you for your crimes, but now you do this?" questioned Lyla.

"Isn't this what heroes do? Always lend a helping hand?" replied Leonard.

"I may have to inform you. He's engaged to Sara Lance, so if you want to lock him up, you're gonna have to take it up with her," said Crystal to the A.R.G.U.S. director.

"I look forward to the meeting," said Lyla. She looks at Leonard and says, "Just don't try anything like this again, you got me?"

"No promises," said Leonard with a smirk.

"Now, go," said Lyla to Barry. "Stop Savitar and save the world."

"Thank you," said Crystal.

"Don't try to sweet talk me, Dr. Snow," warned Lyla.

"It's Dr. Frost, actually," said Crystal.

Leonard grabs Caitlin's arm and drags her away before she says anything that will make Lyla second-guess her decision to let the ex-biochemist walk. Barry smiles and waves goodbye as he follows his friends. Lyla sighs as she watched the trio walk away. She's hoping they don't make her regret her decision to let them go.

* * *

Since Barry can't carry both Crystal and Leonard back to Keystone City, they take the mode of transportation they used to travel to Star City. A train. They managed to catch the last train of the day before it took off. The only person in there with them is a man reading a newspaper, who falls asleep not too long after the train left the station.

Barry sat across Crystal and Leonard. He kept looking back and forth between them.

"So, uh, this is awkward," said Barry.

"It wasn't until you made it," replied Leonard.

"I'm just surprised," said Barry. "You were so mad at her for Mick, I thought you'd want revenge."

"It was tempting, but I knew that it was the wrong thing," said Leonard.

"Since when does Leonard Snart care about doing the wrong thing?" asked Crystal, still not used to this new Leonard Snart.

"Since he stole a kiss from the lovely Sara Lance," answered Leonard.

"I'm happy for both of you," said Barry.

"So am I," said Crystal.

"She'll be happy to have you back in one piece," said Barry.

"About that, Allen, I'm not going back to the Waverider, not yet," said Leonard.

"What?" asked Barry and Caitlin simultaneously.

"You think I wouldn't find out about, Lisa?" said Leonard. "My sister is being held hostage by Savitar. She and I may be on opposite sides now, but I'm not leaving until she's safe."

"Sara won't like that," said Barry.

"Yeah, well, it won't be the first time we fought," said Leonard. "Whether you like or not, I'm staying. Lisa's my sister, Allen. I'm sure you of all people know how valuable family is."

"I do," agreed Barry.

"Cold is an effective weapon against speedsters. Since I can't reveal myself, it's nice to have someone who can use something cold against Savitar in front of everyone," said Crystal.

"But why not tell them?" asked Leonard. "I know Joe, Wally, and Jesse would be unhappy to see you. Ramon would probably have mixed feelings about it. H.R., well, that guy's unpredictable. I wouldn't know how he would react. Point is, if you're looking for redemption, you should start by telling Team Flash the truth."

"I've been thinking about that, Leonard, but I'm not sure if I should," said Crystal. "All the terrible things I've done, fooling them into thinking I'm dead, I'm not sure how they'll ever forgive me. Cisco might, maybe, but it's close to impossible."

"Close to, which means there 'is' a possibility," said Barry.

"I'm surprised to see your optimism return this soon, Barry," said Leonard. "I'm guessing 'Dr. Crystal Frost' here really fixed you."

"Ironic, isn't it?" said Barry. "The person who caused my pain in the first place is the one who is supposed to fix me."

"Technically, you're wrong," said Crystal. "Crystal Frost was an entirely different person who never caused you harm and only wanted to help you cope with your grief."

"Why separate yourself from your false identity?" asked Leonard.

"Long story," said Caitlin.

"We got a long ride back to Central City. Plus, that guy over there..." Leonard gestured to the sleeping passenger. "He won't be listening in."

"Long story short, I erased my memories and forged a new identity so Barry would allow me to get closer," said Crystal. "I literally had no memory of my actions as Killer Frost or my life as Caitlin Snow. So, technically, Crystal Frost was someone else. Someone who isn't me."

"You're wrong," said Barry. "Crystal Frost may have helped me run again, but Caitlin Snow was the one who truly helped me move forward."

Caitlin smiled. Barry smiled back. Leonard looks back and forth between the two, suspicious of the way they were looking at each other. He immediately realized what the staring meant.

"Well, talk about double irony," said Leonard.

"I think I know what you mean," said Crystal, smiling sheepishly.

"Do you?" asked Leonard.

"How can Barry love the very person who took away the woman he's loved since forever?" said Crystal.

"Care to provide an answer, Allen?" asked Leonard.

"Maybe it's because those feelings have always been there. I just never saw it until recently," said Barry.

"Pining over Iris while you have a fine lady in front of you, I'm kinda disappointed," commented Leonard.

"Since when are you Cupid? The name's taken," joked Crystal.

"Have you two decided on whether or not you want to hook up?" questioned Leonard.

"Savitar comes first, then maybe... we'll talk about it," said Barry.

"I can't believe you would do this to me," said Crystal. "Be so nice and so loving after everything I've done. I know you have your reasons for not being furious, but I'm still shocked."

"All this drama is certainly CW-worthy," commented Leonard. "I'm surprised neither of you have decided to audition."

"Our lives are like a CW show," said Crystal. "Full of soap opera drama. Complicated love. Difficult friendships. Trust. Betrayal."

"Maybe we should make our own show," joked Barry.

"And what would we call it?" asked Leonard. "Flash?"

"Well, it's always been about Barry, so..." Crystal agreed.

As the three expressed their amusement in their jokes, a flash of white lightning phases through the train. It was Savitar. Leonard immediately takes out his Cold Gun, aiming it at the evil speedster, only to realize that he took the core out of the gun, rendering it useless. Barry's eyes flashed with lightning as he prepared to run. Crystal's hand started freezing, showing that she's ready for a fight.

"Congratulations. You have what you need to stop me," said Savitar with subtle sarcasm.

"Why are you here?" asked Barry. "It's not midnight."

"True," said Savitar. "But before I kill Caitlin, I need her for something."

Savitar immediately slams Barry towards a wall, giving him a concussion. Crystal manages to hit Savitar with an ice beam, freezing his armor, but the speedster escapes by phasing out of it. The God of Speed knocks out Leonard, attaches a power-dampening cuff to Caitlin's wrist, and then takes her.

The sleeping man wakes up to find Barry and Leonard knocked out. He also noticed a dent on the wall, which was caused when Savitar slammed Barry on it.

"What just happened?" wondered the civilian.

* * *

Savitar takes Crystal to Mount Buccelato.

"Why'd you bring me here?" asked Crystal.

"This is where my ascendancy will take place," said Savitar. "But before I become a god, I need to remove an obstacle from my path."

"What obstacle?" asked Crystal.

"The Speed Force doesn't like it when speedsters mess with time," said Savitar. "When it happens, they send guardians to punish those who do."

"I know about them," said Crystal. "The Time Wraiths. Zoom."

"I cannot take control of time as long as the Speed Force continues to resist," said Savitar. "That is why I brought you here."

"I know what you want me to do," said Crystal. "But what makes you think I'll help you?"

Savitar walks towards a tree and pulls out from behind it an unconscious body. It was Black Siren. Savitar holds his arm blade close to her neck.

"Either you do as I say, or you will have another death on your conscience," threatened Savitar.

Crystal knew she only had one choice. If she resists or fights back, Laurel dies, and she couldn't let that happen.

"If I help you, will you let her go?" asked Crystal.

"I will consider it if you agree to aid me," said Savitar.

Reluctantly, Crystal nods.

Savitar started running circles in the middle of the area, opening a breach into the Speed Force. He then takes the power-dampening cuff of Crystal, causing her hair to turn white and her lips blue.

"Get ready," said Savitar to Crystal.

Black Flash comes out of the Speed Force, roaring. As soon as it saw Savitar, it ran straight towards him. Before it could lay its hands on the God of Speed, Black Flash gets frozen in place by an ice beam, courtesy of Crystal Frost. His entire body froze and then shattered.

"Bye-bye, Hunter," said Crystal.

"The one thing Black Flash can't stop. Cold," said Savitar. "Now that he's out of the way, there will be nothing standing in my way once the time has come."

"The Flash will stop you," said Crystal.

"You may have helped him recover, but he is still not fast enough," said Savitar.

"Turning Barry into a monster, you're insane," said Crystal.

"You know me, so you know why I'm doing it," said Savitar.

"You're overconfident, yet you still kept your backup plan in case you fail," said Crystal. "You want Barry to take your place in the event you do fall."

"You are a rare crystal on this planet, Caitlin Snow," complimented Savitar, admiring her intelligence.

* * *

Barry runs back to Mercury Labs with Leonard. He shows up at the lab to see Wally helping Jesse walk.

"Jesse, you're awake," said Barry, surprised.

"And ready to run," added Jesse.

"No, you're not," said Wally, worried that Jesse is being premature.

"You don't tell me what to do," said Jesse, sounding slightly flirtatious.

"Did you guys get the power source?" asked Cisco.

"We did," said Barry, holding up said power source. "But Savitar took Crystal, and we're running out of time."

"But how do we even find her?" asked Joe.

Team Flash suddenly gets a message through their computer. It was a video message from Crystal.

 _"Hey, guys. Savitar thought it would be nice if you were present for my death, so he's allowed to tell you where my death is taking place. Infantino Street. Be there before midnight. I'm counting on you guys. And Barry, I know you can do it. I believe in you. But... just in case things go... I want you to be strong. For me. I want you to promise me that."_

The message ends and all Barry can do is touch the screen where Caitlin's face is showing. Fear was present on his face.

"I'll tell Tracy," said H.R., taking the power source and rushing to the other lab.

"Cisco," called Leonard. "I need a new core for my Cold Gun. Care to assist?"

"Sure," said Cisco.

* * *

Midnight is almost here. The Flash, Kid Flash, and Jesse Quick arrived at Infantino Street, waiting for Savitar to show up. Cisco, H.R., and Tracy are inside a van, monitoring the area. Joe and Leonard are stationed on a rooftop overlooking the speedsters. Joe had Harry's rifle in his hand, while Leonard uses his Cold Gun, which has just been installed with a new core.

 _"Okay, everybody is in position," said Cisco, nervous._

 _"Just keep your trap shut and keep watch, Ramon," said Leonard._

"Are you sure you want to be here, Jesse?" asked Flash. "You just woke up."

"I know I can do this," said Jesse Quick. "This isn't about me, Barry. It's about you. We can't let Savitar cause you any more pain."

"We'll be here for you, man," said Kid Flash.

"Thanks, guys," smiled Flash.

Savitar appears, holding Crystal up, who was wearing the power-dampening cuff again. She was visibly frightened by what's about to come. Flash and his fellow speedsters prepared to fight. Joe and Leonard hold their guns up, ready to fire. Those in the van gulped nervously as they prepared to watch the epic showdown.

"This is it. Now, the moment is upon us," said Savitar. "My ascension to become a god."

"Not tonight," said Flash.

"Show me you're the hero," dared Savitar. "Let's see what happens."

Savitar puts down Crystal. Flash speeds away and returns with the Speed Force Bazooka. He fires a beam of extradimensional energy, but Savitar dodges it. Kid Flash and Jesse Quick do what they were assigned to do. Keep Savitar down long enough for him to get sent back into the Speed Force. Flash continues firing, but Savitar was too fast. Kid Flash and Jesse Quick gave chase, trying to catch the evil speedster.

Just as Savitar ran back to where Crystal was, Kid Flash clocks him in the face. Jesse Quick zooms over and hits Savitar with an electrically-charged uppercut. Flash fires the Speed Force Bazooka again and hits Savitar. Jesse Quick grabs Crystal and takes her away from the God of Speed.

Everyone watches as the Speed Force Bazooka does what it was created to do. Savitar collapses on his knees as he feels himself getting closer to being sent back to the prison that drove him nuts. However, something went wrong. Savitar started to stand up. He repels the extradimensional beam, freeing himself from its hold.

 _"It didn't work," cried Tracy, shocked._

"Why didn't it work?" wondered Flash.

"I spent an eternity in a trap just like that. You think I didn't know how to prevent it from happening again?" said Savitar, holding a familiar artifact.

"The Philosopher's Stone," realized Flash.

"It's made of calcified Speed Force energy, and you gave it to me," said Savitar.

"Dad! Snart! Now!" yelled Kid Flash.

Joe and Leonard were about to fire their guns, until Savitar threw lightning at them, causing them to duck. In the blink of an eye, Savitar breaks Kid Flash's leg, knocks Jesse Quick towards a lamp post, and grabs Crystal. He returns to the spot where he was a few seconds ago with his blade activated.

"You stuck me in the Speed Force for eternity of hell!" yelled Savitar. "Now, welcome to yours."

"No, don't do this," pleaded Flash.

"Now, finally, I am free of you," continued Savitar, preparing his blade.

"I'm begging you, don't do this," begged Flash.

"Barry!" cried Crystal.

"You lose, Barry," said Savitar.

Flash screamed with fear as he ran straight for Savitar in a desperate attempt to save Crystal. Unfortunately, he was too late. Savitar had stabbed Crystal through her back with his blade. He drops her dying body and runs away, taking the Speed Force Bazooka and Cisco along with him. H.R. and Tracy exit the van to tend to the two injured speedsters.

Flash holds Crystal in his arms, begging for her to be okay. Her eyes started to open slowly as she tried to breath.

"Barry," she said faintly.

"Caitlin, I'm here. I'm here," said Barry, trying to smile. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," said Crystal. "Just promise me. Be strong."

Crystal closes her eyes while Flash begged for her not to. He kept on begging for her to wake up, but nothing happened. Crystal's eyes closed and she stopped breathing. Flash can only bury his head on her shoulder as the tears began to rain down from his eyes. He promised her that he would save her, but he couldn't keep it and now she's gone. Again.

Flash was beginning to feel the same pain he felt when he watched Iris died. It was consuming him. He couldn't do anything but cry. He had just gotten Caitlin back, but now he lost her again. Her chances for redemption and love have been taken away from her, and it's all his fault, he thought. He created Flashpoint, and because of that, he created Savitar. He created all this madness. Caitlin had just become yet another price for his mistake.

Everyone looks on as Barry let out all his sorrow. They were all sad. Sad that they failed to stop Savitar. Sad that they failed Barry.

 **5, 4, 3, 2, 1...**

 **This is not the end, but you will have to give me some time to plan the ending. I'm still contemplating on how Savitar's ending will play out.**


	23. Eleven Steps Ahead

**Story's almost over, folks. All that's left now is to tie everything in a nice little bow.**

 **First, I'd like to share my opinion on the last two episodes of Flash. "Luck Be A Lady" was just as fun as the first two episodes, honestly. There was so much humor that I couldn't stop laughing, whether it was Cisco and Harry arguing, Barry slipping on marbles, Iris attempting to elope, or Barry, Cisco, and Caitlin playing laser tag. Becky Sharpe was a little irritating, but her good luck/bad luck powers were done well and she had a pretty good motive. It was sad, however, to see Wally leave. I was really sad for him. He hasn't really been given much to do this season and it was tear-jerking to watch him leave.**

 **As for "Elongated Journey Into Night," I liked it... up to an extent. The humor, as always, was impossible not to laugh at, whether it was Cisco interacting with Gypsy's father or Iris and Caitlin daydreaming about Oliver Queen. As for Ralph Dibny, I was not really looking forward to him. Granted, introducing him as a dirty cop would make him unlikable to begin with. We all know that he's gonna get better personality-wise as the season progresses, but I am just not really looking forward it. It would be nice to see how his character progresses, but I don't have to like him. He reminds me of Julian (who I also didn't like, by the way). Man, I really miss Wally.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **Special thanks to Aragorn II Elessar, psychlover95, Immortalman18, NeoTyson, XWF1000, Master Skywalker 121, Steve993, and DragonEmperor999 for the recent reviews.**

While Wally and Jesse are getting medical treatment in the medical bay underneath Mercury Labs, Barry takes Crystal's body back to her home. He gently places her on her bed and stays there. He knew that the longer he looked at her dead body, the more it hurt, the more tears will rain down his face, but he wasn't ready to leave yet. Crouching down next to her bed, he holds her hand, which felt really cold, and speaks his mind.

"I'm so sorry, Caitlin. I broke my promise. I failed you. I know you'd probably say that you're better off without me, but that's not true. No matter what you've done in the past, I've always believed that it was never you. I know you and despite this darkness inside you, I know you would never mean to hurt me or anyone. Ever since Flashpoint, all I've wanted was to help you. No matter how many times you say no, I would never leave your side. Ever since the day we met, I've felt a connection between us. I just never realized it until... that day I thought I lost you. I thought I was lying, but now I know I wasn't."

After biting his own lip, which he inwardly laughed at considering it was Crystal's habit, he says what he wants to say.

"I love you, Caitlin," he said. "I know this is a strange thing to say to the person who's caused me so much pain, but for as long as I can remember, I have felt that way about you and it never stopped, no matter what happened or who I was with. And I know that you wouldn't agree to this, but... I forgive you."

Barry buries his head on the bed and cries again, holding on to Crystal's hand tight. While it felt liberating to finally speak the truth, it hurt him that she couldn't hear him but he told her anyway.

Barry knew he couldn't stay here all night, especially since Savitar has Cisco. After kissing Caitlin's hand, he leaves. As soon as the door closed, Crystal's eyes opened, glowing.

* * *

Back at Mercury Labs...

Barry walks into the medical bay with a broken look on his face, one that everyone on Team Flash was familiar with.

"Bar, you don't have to be here if you don't want to," said Joe.

"I know," said Barry softly. "Savitar took the Speed Force Bazooka and Cisco, right?"

Tracy nodded.

"Then we have to get him and it back," said Barry.

"But we don't even know where Savitar's keeping him," said Jesse, holding her aching head.

"No, but I think I know someone who can help us," said Barry.

* * *

Meanwhile, Savitar returns to his warehouse and drops Cisco, leaving him to slide on the floor until he hit the wall. The God of Speed exits his suit and places the Speed Force Bazooka on a table. He unties Lisa and tells her to get the tools required for the bazooka.

"What are you doing with her?" asked Cisco.

"She's going to be helping you," said Savitar.

"To do what?" asked Cisco.

"Fix this," said Savitar, referring to the Speed Force Bazooka.

"Oh, you mean the Speed Force Bazooka? I didn't name it, and if I didn't name it, I didn't make it," said Cisco.

"You know enough about it to alter what it does," said Savitar.

"Alter it into what? A hair dryer? A waffle maker? Or something that's gonna fix that thin-crush pizza you call a face?" asked Cisco with sarcasm.

"An interdimensional molecular duplicator," said Savitar.

"Wait, you wanna clone yourself?" asked Cisco.

"Think of it as a quantum splicer but more complex," corrected Savitar. "I open a portal, exposing the Speed Force, you shoot me with it, and I become fragmented throughout all of time. The past. The present. The future."

"You want to exist in every single moment of time?" asked Cisco.

"All of us aware and connected through one consciousness," continued Savitar. "I'll be everywhere. Every hour. Every minute. I will rule from the Big Bang 'til the end of time."

"You wanted us to build this thing," realized Cisco.

"Why did you think I let you idiots live?" said Savitar. "Tracy Brand trapped me in the Speed Force in the future. All I needed was for her to build this a whole lot sooner and get my friend to make some the important adjustments."

"I'm not your friend," said Cisco.

"Get to work, Francesco," ordered Savitar, mimicking H.R.

"And if I don't help you?" asked Cisco, refusing.

Savitar raises his hand, vibrates it, and holds it close to Cisco's chest, hoping he understand the message.

"That's it? Do it or you'll Reverse-Flash me?" questioned Cisco, barely intimidated.

"Not you," said Savitar. "Her."

Savitar pointed at Lisa, whose back was turned because she was busy assembling the tools needed to alter the Speed Force Bazooka.

"You don't love her, but you care about her," said Savitar. "Besides, you don't want to get on Cold's bad side now, do you? So, if you want the both of you to survive, put that mechanical genius to work."

Savitar walks away, leaving Cisco to think about he needs to do, looking at Lisa while he does. Lisa returns to Cisco with the tools they both need to fix the bazooka.

* * *

Back in Mercury Labs, Tracy was in her personal lab, staring at the equations that she wrote down to make the Speed Force Bazooka. She worked so hard on it, but it failed. Once again, she is beginning to feel like the pessimistic crackpot who was just about to apply for a job at Big Belly Burger.

"Hey."

H.R. entered the lab, still playing with his drumstick.

"I failed," muttered Tracy sadly.

"You did not fail," said H.R.

Tracy gives him a look that makes his reconsider his words.

"Okay, maybe you did, but that doesn't matter," said H.R. "Savitar sabotaged your change. Maybe the Speed Force Bazooka isn't the thing that stops him and kicks off your successful future, but all that effort proved something. You are exactly the genius who won that Copley Award in the future. I know it, because I can see it. If Savitar hadn't been one step ahead of us, it would've worked."

"This isn't just about me failing, H.R.," said Tracy. "The Flash trusted me to create the trap and save his friend, but now... she's dead and that's on me."

H.R. can see how guilty Tracy is feeling.

"Tracy, listen to me when I say that you shouldn't blame yourself," said H.R. "The Flash... Barry... the most important people in his life, including his one true love, were taken away from him by someone who became an enemy of him because of his mistakes. He blamed himself time and time again, no matter how many times we told him it wasn't."

"How does he cope with that much loss?" asked Tracy.

"By staying in the light," said H.R. "One day, Tracy. One day, you will be glorious. I will be there by your side when the day comes."

Feeling her spirits being lifted by his words, Tracy gives H.R. a kiss, which was happily returned.

* * *

After an hour, Cisco and Lisa were almost finished altering the Speed Force Bazooka into an Interdimensional Molecular Duplicator.

"How can you help him?" asked Cisco.

"I don't have a choice," said Lisa.

"There's always a choice," said Cisco. "You're the queen of Central City, or so I've heard, and you're letting two-face, pun intended, turn you into a servant."

Lisa grabs a wrench and shoves it on Cisco's chest.

"Let's just get this over with, Cisco," said Lisa. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can both get back to our lives."

"Unless Savitar remakes history into his own twisted vision," said Cisco.

"Cisco, I am all for one for standing up to someone who messes with me, but Savitar's leverage on me, I can't fight, even if I want to," said Lisa.

As soon

"Something's wrong," said Savitar. "Barry Allen is up to something, but he won't tell his team what it is."

"He's a smart guy. You should know. You're him," said Cisco.

"Is it ready?" asked Savitar.

"All finished," said Lisa.

"Then there's only one other left to do," said Savitar. "Lisa, shoot him."

"What?!" exclaimed Cisco and Lisa at the same time.

"I can't have lose ends," said Savitar to the criminal. "Do it or I'll do it myself."

Lisa didn't know what was worse. Cisco's death by her hand or by Savitar's? Reluctantly, Lisa takes out her Gold Gun and aims it at Cisco.

"Don't do this, Lisa," said Cisco, stepping backwards in fear. "He'll kill you."

"I know," said Lisa. "I'm sorry, Cisco."

Turning away and closing her eyes, Lisa fires her Gold Gun. Suddenly, a breach opens and someone jumps out of it to push Cisco away from the path of the gold beam. It was Gypsy. She opens another breach and drags Cisco through it.

"Shouldn't we go after them?" asked Lisa.

"It doesn't matter," said Savitar. "We have what we need. Let's go."

* * *

A breach opens in Mercury Labs. Cisco comes out tumbling out of the breach, looking up at the black-clad collector from Earth-38.

"What were you doing?" asked Cisco, enraged. "I was trying to save her. Why'd you stop me?"

"I stopped you from getting killed," said Gypsy, irritated by his attitude. "I knew you were in danger because I vibed you across the multiverse. I can't believe this is the thanks I get for saving you."

"This is not a thanks. This is, like, the opposite of thanks," said Cisco, still ticked off by Gypsy's wrong timing. "Wait, how did you know to come for me?"

"Because we're connected," said Gypsy. "Idiot."

Cisco started to calm down and now felt touched that Gypsy came all the way from Earth-19 just to save him.

"I'm sorry about your hands," said Gypsy, dropping her attitude as well. "Does it hurt?"

"It hurts me in here..." Cisco gestures to his heart. "... that my powers are taken away just as I was beginning to get the hang of it."

"You can still vibe, though. I can sense it," said Gypsy.

"I haven't tried since my hands were froze off," said Cisco.

"Hey, Cisco."

Cisco turns around and sees his friends. They were all happy to see him.

"You guys called Gypsy?" asked Cisco.

"B.A. had to leave subtle hints for us to keep Savitar from knowing," said H.R.

"Barry, I'm sorry about Crystal," apologized Cisco sadly.

"We can mourn later," said Barry. "Right now, we need you to tell us what Savitar is up to."

"I know 'what' he's up to, but I don't know 'where' he's going to enact his evil plan," said Cisco. "Gyspy, care to vibe his location?"

"Only if you'll do it with me," said Gypsy. "You said you haven't tried to vibe since... what happened. Show me you still can."

Gypsy puts her hand on his shoulder as she closed her eyes. Cisco rubs his cybernetic hands together as he prepared himself to vibe for the first time in months. He closes his eyes tight, maybe too tight, as he moaned with effort.

"You're trying too hard," said Gypsy. "Relax."

Cisco relaxes a bit as he tries again. He opens his eyes and he can see Savitar, wearing his armor, and Lisa walking up a mountain.

"Mount Buccelato," said Cisco.

* * *

Savitar and Golden Glider have arrived at the top of Mount Buccelato. Savitar puts down the Interdimensional Molecular Duplicator as he walks towards the middle of the field.

"When the portal opens, be ready," said Savitar.

Savitar runs around in circles, opening a breach into the Speed Force. Golden Glider picks up the bazooka, almost dragged down by its weight, and prepares to shoot her "master."

"Finally! To be a God!" howled Savitar.

Golden Glider shoots the Interdimensional Molecular Duplicator at Savitar. The beam of interdimensional energy hits Savitar and it appears as if he was being spliced through time, seen by the cloned images of Savitar entering the breach. Suddenly, something happened. The beam went straight through Savitar and into the breach. All of a sudden, a speedster zooms out of the Speed Force and runs into Savitar, knocking him down. The speedster stopped, revealing himself to be Jay Garrick.

"I've been waiting a long time to do that," said Jay.

"Garrick?!" exclaimed a confused Savitar. "How did you..."

"He didn't," said Cisco, who arrived at the scene with Flash, Kid Flash, Jesse Quick, Captain Cold, and Gypsy.

Wanting to help the Flash fight Savitar, Cisco outfitted his cybernetic hands with sonic cannons, which he kept around in case he ever had to go into battle. Using Gypsy's frequency, the sonic blasts are able to mimic the power of a vibrational blast that metas who have vibe powers use. He gives Jay back his helmet, which he brought knowing the bazooka would set him free.

"By changing the polarity into a climbing arc, I changed your Speed Force molecular duplicator into a Speed Force Skeleton Key," said Cisco. "Didn't think I was actually gonna let you become a god, did you?"

"Hello, sis," said Captain Cold to his sister.

"Lenny," greeted Golden Glider. "What made you decided to drop by?"

"Since I heard my sister has been kidnapped by a psychotic future Barry Allen," answered Captain Cold.

"You came for me? How touching," replied Golden Glider.

"Just come home, train wreck," said Captain Cold, dropping his sarcasm. "You don't have to do what this tin can says anymore. He's outnumbered and outgunned."

Golden Glider picks up her Gold Gun and aims it at her brother, causing Captain Cold to do the same and aim his Cold Gun at his sister. Jesse Quick was about to make a move, until Kid Flash told her not to. Golden Glider and Captain Cold look at one another with a look that tell each other that they'll regret shooting at each other. In the end, Golden Glider turns her gun towards Savitar and fires, knocking him down and covering more than half of his armor in gold.

"You will regret crossing me!" shouted Savitar.

Savitar vibrates out of the gold and runs into the forest. Flash, Kid Flash, Jesse Quick, and Jay Garrick follow him.

...

The four speedsters race after the God of Speed through the woods. Savitar, however, was too fast for them catch up. Kid Flash was lagging behind because his leg has not fully healed, but he ignores it, takes many deep breaths, and runs faster. Using Jay Garrick's speed trail, Flash absorbs enough of his Speed Force energy to propel himself forward to reach Savitar.

Seeing the Scarlet Speedster closing in on him, Savitar activates his two arm blades and slices two trees. Kid Flash and Jesse Quick duck under the falling trees. Flash jumps over them. Jay runs around them.

Using his bio-electricity, Savitar jumps high into the air, looks down on the ground, and fires bolts of lightning at his enemies. He missed, but the impact of his lightning bolts creates a small electric explosion that knocks all four speedsters down to the ground.

...

Back in the field, Cisco, Gypsy, Captain Cold, and Golden Glider were just standing casually, looking awkwardly at each other. None of them were speedsters so they didn't have any reason to run into the field, so all they can do is exchange looks and wait for the fight to end.

"So, how's the whole time-traveling thing?" Golden Glider asked her brother.

"Same as always. We makes things worse before fixing the damage," said Captain Cold.

"Sounds like a basic formula for a TV show," commented Cisco.

"Maybe, but that doesn't stop it from being fun," said Captain Cold.

"Have you guys considered new recruits or something?" asked Cisco.

"As a matter of fact, we have a newbie on the Waverider," said Captain Cold. "Her name's Zari Tomaz. She has a totem that allows her to control the element of air."

"Can she fly?" asked Cisco.

Captain Cold nods.

"Cool," replied Cisco.

"Look out!" warned Gypsy.

It was too late. Savitar had zoomed in and knocked all four of them to the ground. The Speed God stops in front of Golden Glider.

"You had your chance to survive this, but now you have unlocked the path to your death!" yelled Savitar.

Savitar vibrates his hand, preparing to shove it into Golden Glider. Before he could do it, a high-pitched scream comes out of nowhere, causing everyone to cover their ears, including Savitar. The scream came from Black Siren.

"I knew I should've killed you when I had the chance," said Savitar.

Savitar runs towards Black Siren, only to get hit by a beam of ice, getting knocked down to the ground. Cisco, Gypsy, Golden Glider, and Captain Cold turned their heads to where the shot came from. The former two were shocked to see who they saw. Crystal Frost, but with white hair and cold smoke coming out of her hands.

Flash returns to the scene to see Crystal, alive and well. He walks towards her to see if he wasn't dreaming. Crystal touches Barry's cheek with her hand. He can feel it, meaning she was real. Tears of joy started building up in his eyes just seeing her right in front of him. Crystal puts her arms around him, giving him a hug, feeling that he could use one.

"Caitlin Snow?!" Savitar sounded confused. "How did you survive?!"

Crystal reaches into her top and pulls out a necklace with a glowing snowflake symbol on it.

"Just in case you do succeed in killing me, I thought I'd prepare myself," said Crystal, speaking in her Killer Frost voice. "I had this necklace repurposed so instead of suppressing my powers, it'll bypass any power-dampening tech put on me. I admit, your metal spear hurt, but that's no problem for someone who regenerate."

Savitar growled in anger, frustrated that he failed to kill her.

"You may be one step in front of everyone, but I am always eleven steps ahead," said Crystal.

Crystal Frost fires again and encases Savitar in ice. Cisco runs up towards the ice-wielding metahuman and quickly puts his arms around her, pulling her into a big hug.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're not dead," said Cisco happily.

"Okay, not the reaction I expected," said Crystal.

Cisco stops hugging Crystal and says, "Oh, believe me, I am still ticked at you for freezing my hands off and killing the people I love, but I guess the good side of me outweighed by bad side. Once we're finished here, we're gonna have a serious talk about pretending to be dead. Seriously, you are just unbelievable, my friend."

Crystal rolls her eyes, but smiled in amusement.

The happy reunion was interrupted by Savitar vibrating. After shattering the thick layer of ice around him, he slams Flash towards a tree, knocks out Crystal Frost and Black Siren, and knocks down Gypsy and Golden Glider. Cisco tried using his sonic cannons, but Savitar dodges every single blast before grabbing him.

"You'll pay for what you did!" yelled Savitar angrily. "Now you can die the same way twice."

In the blink of an eye, Savitar shoves his vibrating hand into Cisco's chest, stopping his heart. Gypsy and Golden Glider watched in horror as Savitar drops Cisco's dead body to the ground. Both girls rushed towards him in tears. They begged him to wake up, but he wouldn't. He lied on the grass, motionless.

Flash, Crystal Frost, and Black Siren wake up to see what has happened while they were unconscious. The former two were saddened to see what had happened to Cisco.

While Gypsy embraces Cisco in sorrow, Golden Glider fires her Gold Gun at Savitar. The God of Speed dodges the first blast before grabbing her and slamming her to the ground, his hand around her neck.

"I could kill you right now, but I think I'd rather let you live to endure the pain you are suffering," said Savitar.

Savitar kicks Golden Glider away as he turns his attention to Flash and Crystal Frost, both whom were enraged by what he did to Cisco.

"Just because Caitlin Snow's death was prophesied by the Speed Force, it doesn't mean I cannot talk anyone else away from you, Flash," said Savitar. "If I cannot become a god, I will take away everyone you care about until you're all alone, and then you will truly know my pain!"

Savitar begins walking towards Captain Cold. Flash, fueled by rage from Savitar's threat, runs towards the God of Speed. He vibrates himself so he can phase into the armor, pushing Savitar out of it in the process. The lights from the armor changed from blue to red, now that it has a new wearer.

"How does it feel to get so close to your ascension and end up on the ground?" taunted Flash.

Savitar looked up at his armor with a deranged smile on his face.

"Now, I see. It's written," he said, believing his past self had finally become "him."

"Nothing's written!" yelled Flash.

If Flash could not embrace the darkness, Savitar decided to get himself back in the suit. The two exchanged punches. Savitar was able to dodge Flash's punches, but his own punches can't affect his own armor. Flash grabs Savitar's head before punching him down. Savitar is down on both knees as Flash activates one of the armor's blades, preparing to end the time remnant's existence once and for all.

"Do it!" dared Savitar. "You kill me, you become me. Either way, I live."

Crystal Frost, Black Siren, Captain Cold, and Gypsy stood and watched as Flash's arm shook with fear, wrestling the decision of whether or not to end Savitar right here and now. In the end, Flash retracts the blade. He started vibrating until the armor shatters to pieces. Savitar looks up at the Flash with surprise and disappointment, while the Scarlet Speedster looked down at the time remnant with anger.

"I'll never let the pain, the darkness determine who I am," said Flash. "I will never be you."

"Then you and I are gonna locked in battle for all eternity," said Savitar.

"I tried to help you once," reminded Flash. "I meant every word I said, and yet, you turned your back on me."

"You can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped, Flash," growled Savitar.

"Why do all this?" asked Flash. "Splicing yourself throughout time, what will that accomplish?"

"I told you before. When I was trapped in the Speed Force, I traveled back in time to ensure that my future is as it should be," reminded Savitar. "When I have control of all of time, I will be able to change it anyway I want."

"Including getting your old life back," realized Flash. "Mom. Dad. Iris. Everything that Thawne and I took away from you. You wanted it all back."

"It's all I wanted," said Savitar.

Flash looked closely at his future self's face. It was no longer full of deranged anger. It was full of desperation, sorrow, and anguish. All Savitar wanted was to rewrite history and bring back his old life. A time where he and Iris were married. A time where his parents are alive. A time where the true Harrison Wells of Earth-1 was both his friend and mentor. Flash was beginning to sympathize with his enemy. All this death and destruction, just to bring back everyone he loved.

"But why kill and destroy to get what you want?" asked Flash.

"Because it was the only way," answered Savitar angrily. "I knew that you would try to stop me. I knew that the Speed Force would never allow me to change time. I had to conquer both obstacles just to get my life back."

"We could've helped you," said Flash.

"No, you couldn't," said Savitar. "Everyone from 2024, they were right about one thing. I'm just an aberration that needs to be erased. I have no place in this world."

"When Caitlin took Iris away from me, I thought I was damaged beyond repair, but I was wrong," said Flash. "There's still hope for you. You still know how to love, and that part of you shows that there is still humanity in you."

"I am not like you, Flash," snarled Savitar. "I could've been something more. A god."

Flash could see it in the time remnant's deluded expression. He would never give up his ambition to rule the Speed Force. Even if there was still love in his heart, he would not let it out because he doesn't want to. He's broken. Lost. Beyond redemption.

"Then there's no hope for you at all," said Flash.

Flash angrily speed-punches Savitar in the face, knocking him out. Flash begins to walk away, giving up on saving Savitar.

Suddenly, Savitar wakes up. Wish Flash's back turned, he took the opportunity. He runs towards him with his hand vibrating, ready to end his past self once and for all. Just as he was about to jump, he gets hit by a beam of ice, courtesy of Crystal Frost. This captures Flash's attention. Crystal started walking towards the ex-God-of-Speed, who was trying to recover from the cold.

"You've spent centuries making other suffer," said Caitlin with disgust.

"What I have done is no different to what you've done," said Savitar. "You can try to be a hero, but deep down, you know. You will never be redeemed. You're nothing by a killer, Killer Frost."

"You're right," said Crystal.

Crystal then stabs Savitar in the heart with a shard of ice. Savitar looked into Crystal's eyes as he felt his life coming to an end. With the last strength in him, he cups her cheek in his hand in affectionate way. Crystal could see the look in his eyes. It was the same look Barry gave her. Love.

Savitar collapses to the ground, no longer breathing. Crystal couldn't help but feel remorse for her hand in his death. He may have been evil and demented, but deep down his ambitious nature was Barry Allen. The Barry Allen that knew love, compassion, and heroism. If she could've helped him, she would, but even she knew that he was too far gone to be saved.

"Looks like you got to kill me, after all," Flash half-joked.

Crystal half-smiled. "I guess I did."

Jesse Quick, Kid Flash, and Jay Garrick have returned from the woods. The two young speedsters were trying to help Jay Garrick walk, since he was hurt badly from the lightning bolt impact. They could see Crystal Frost, but with white hair. They could see Savitar lying dead on the ground with an icicle sticking out of his chest. Before any questions were asked, everyone turned their attention to Gypsy and Golden Glider, both mourning beside the deceased Cisco Ramon.

Savitar may have been vanquished, but Barry Allen had lost yet another person close to him.

 **:'(**

 **I know. I know. I know. Killing off Cisco was a pretty bold (and infuriating) move. I just wanted to shake things up a bit, as I always do since I don't want my stories to be exactly like canon. In my Arrow spin-off, "Back To Lian You" (SPOILERS if you haven't read it), I let everyone Oliver cared about live, including Samantha. So, I thought I'd replace H.R.'s death with someone else's in this story. It was a hard to pick. It could've been Jesse or Joe, but in the end, I've made my decision.**

 **I know this is a really, really sad moment, but if my "Unforgivable" series has shown anything is that Flash's side of the story is darker than even Arrow's. You've read all the tragedies in "Unforgivable". I never said it would stop there. When you say "dark," you're not just making a story gloomy but also emphasizing loss and hardship.**

 **I just hope you would still read the next chapter, which will be the last.**


	24. Finish Line

**This is it, folks. The last chapter of the story. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

 **Special thanks to DragonEmperor999, Steve993, godspeed 251, Aragorn II Elessar, TheLifeStruggleIsREAL, XWF1000, and Guest for reviewing the previous chapter.**

 _"Why did you choose the side of evil?"_

 _"You're too consumed by vengeance to see things clearly."_

 _"You're not my friend. Not anymore."_

 _"You're gonna pay for what you did to Iris."_

 _"You're sick."_

 _"You're nothing but a killer."_

 _"You know how much we love each other, and you know how to use that love against us."_

The voices in Crystal's head stopped as she opened her eyes and focused on what's real. Standing under a large tree, hiding in its shadow, she watched Barry Allen, his friends, and his family mourn beside the grave of Cisco Ramon. Lisa Snart had showed up as well, as she was devastated by his death. Her brother, Leonard, held her close to comfort her. It touched her how much the two criminal siblings cared about each other. As everyone gave their speeches, Crystal stayed behind the tree, afraid to confront everyone after the revelation of what she has done throughout the course of the month.

The explanation of her return caused some predictable and unpredictable reactions among Team Flash.

Kid Flash says, "You are unbelievable, you know that, right?"

Jesse Quick says, "Just when I thought you couldn't get any lower, Frosty."

Joe says, "Be glad Barry care about you or you'd be biting the bullet literally."

H.R., meanwhile, welcomed Crystal back with open arms, which he used to give Crystal a hug. He said, "It was her, not you, Caity." It surprised everyone how forgiving H.R. was and how much he believed that Caitlin Snow and Killer Frost were "not" the same. Barry empathized with him because he knew how he felt.

Crystal didn't even bother to apologize, since she believed they would never forgive her. All she wanted was to answer every question regarding her ruse and deception. She had only wished that Cisco had lived through the final battle. As comforting as it was to hug him one more time, it hurt her that it was the last time they would ever share a friendly moment. Thanks to Savitar, she will never know how Cisco truly felt about the revelation aside from mixed feelings upon discovery.

"I'm really sorry, Cisco," she said.

Everyone had made their speeches, except for H.R., who wanted to say his last. He takes out a piece of paper and reads it. He then crumples it and tosses it away.

"When I first came to this Earth, I tried to make a connection with the people who put their trust in me. Ramon was complicated, mostly because he's had a connection with other Harrison Wellses. One was an evil mentor. The other was a well-meaning but grumpy older brother. I had big shoes to fill. The fact that I wasn't a genius meant that he and I were doomed to have a rough start. But life has a way of making things work for anyone. Franc... Cisco and I, we formed a bond unlike any I've ever forged. He helped me realize my purpose here on this Earth, and for that, I forever thank him. Rest in peace, my friend."

While the others say some more words for their deceased friend, Leonard decided to give his sister an offer to cheer her up and turn her life around for the better.

"Sis, I know you love the chaos that Frost has brought upon Central City, but I think it's better if you return to the Waverider with me," said Leonard.

"You mean be a hero?" questioned Lisa.

"It's what Ramon would want," said Leonard.

"I guess so," replied Lisa.

"He'll be proud of you if you did," said Barry.

"Trust me, Snart. This is the best way you can honor him," said Gypsy. "If what you felt for him was real, then you can't disappoint him, as I know I can't."

Lisa wasn't so sure about accepting the offer. "But Central City..."

"Needs to be free again," said Barry. "I'm sorry, Lisa, but if you really loved Cisco, then you know what you have to do."

Lisa looks at every single person around her. The looks on their faces all meant the same message. Lisa looks back at her brother, who was holding his hand out, waiting for her answer. In the end, she grabbed his hand, accepting his offer to rejoin the Legends.

* * *

After the funeral, Crystal Frost had disappeared, much like Black Siren when she vanished after Savitar's defeat and everyone was occupied by the revelation of Crystal Frost's true identity. The three speedsters had searched for her all throughout Keystone, but she was nowhere to be seen. When Team Flash returned to Mercury Labs, they found a flash drive with a note under it. It had a snowflake sketched on it, telling the team who it came from.

They plug it in to find a video message from Crystal.

At A.R.G.U.S., a package was sent to Director Lyla Michaels. Inside was a drive and a note with a snowflake on it. She decided to play it in private since no one in A.R.G.U.S. besides her knows that the white-haired female who broke into the facility with Barry Allen and Leonard Snart is actually Caitlin Snow.

 _"Hello. My name is Caitlin Snow, but you already knew that, just as you know my other name. Killer Frost. I bet your were expecting me to be turning myself over to the authorities to serve a life sentence for all the horrific crimes I've committed, but I can't do that. Now, I know that everything I've done is unforgivable. I've killed so many people that I deserve their fate. So many lives were destroyed because of my actions. I've hurt the people I called my friends, my family. I am probably the most despicable person on the planet, and I deserve that title, zero doubt. And I will pay for my crimes, but I can't do that from inside an A.R.G.U.S. cell._

 _Now, I would like to send a message to each and every one of you. Jesse, Wally, I left a little gift in you two. $500,000 in cash from my operations in Hub City. It's all yours, for your future, and for future baby Flashes. H.R., Tracy, a permit for the rebuilding of S.T.A.R. Labs. As soon as you rid Central City of the Rogues, you can get started. Joe, I've contacted Singh, under an anonymous alias, and recruited for you a police force that can protect Central City once you take it back. Trust me, I know people. I know that these acts of good will are not enough for you to forgive me, but I'm not expecting any. I'm just trying to take the first step towards redemption._

 _Oh, and Director Michaels, in case you're planning on tracking me down, I'm not gonna stop you. You can hunt me down to the ends of the earth until you fall off the edge. You'll never find me, but should the need arise, I'll find you._

 _Now, I have one last message, and it's for Barry Allen..."_

Barry looks closer at the screen and listens carefully to Crystal's message specifically for him.

 _"I told you that I didn't need your forgiveness, yet you gave it to me, despite all the pain I've caused you. You truly are the mirror image of Savitar. To think that someone who has lost so much, suffered through so much pain can still remain in the light and see the beauty in everything. Only a true hero can be like that, and that is what you are. Don't ever think otherwise. For so long, I blamed you for what I became. I hated you for turning me into a cold-blooded killer. But now, I realize I only have myself to blame. I made my choice, and I have regretted it every single day._

 _I wish I can be by your side and kiss you, but, Barry, we just can't be. I know you love me, but I'm not the one. Choosing the person who took away your soulmate, you may be able to live with that, but I can't. I could never. I will always, always love you, Barry Allen, but you have to find someone who not only makes you happy, but makes you complete. Someone who has so much light in her heart that she attracts you the same she does you. Someone who's life is so full of hope, she practically wears that symbol on her chest. I think we both know who that person is."_

Barry smiles, knowing exactly who Crystal was talking about.

 _"Until next time, Flash. Oh, and one other thing, despite everything that happened between us... I forgive you."_

The message ends with Crystal blowing a kiss to Barry, which includes a heart shaped snowflake. Barry was smiling even wider as tears of joy started raining down his cheeks. While he was sad that she wouldn't accept his love, he was happy to know that she is out there and safe and finally free.

"She is unbelievable," commented Jesse.

"She's done a lot of things that fit that description," said Barry. "But that doesn't mean it's a bad thing."

* * *

At the Rogues' warehouse, the Rogues were counting all of their money or, in Trickster's case, making snow angels using money. Suddenly, a gust of wind was felt as three yellow streaks appeared in the warehouse. Flash, Kid Flash, and Jesse Quick grinned at the criminals with an unconscious Roy Bivolo lying on the floor.

"Hi," greeted Flash.

"Oh, shoot," cursed Top, pouting.

"Oh, shoot, indeed," said Jesse Quick.

"This city ain't yours anymore," said Kid Flash.

* * *

After taking the Rogues to Iron Heights, the speedsters work on cleaning up the streets of Central City, with help from Joe West and the police force that Crystal Frost assigned to the CCPD. It took hours, but almost every criminal in Central City was apprehended. All that was left was to rebuild the city, and it just so happens that an unknown person who goes by the name "Crystal Frost" has sent some people who could help with the rebuilding process. Some worked from Keystone City have even offered their assistance.

As the city slowly rebuilds, Team Flash celebrate at a bar, along with Cecile.

"To a bright new future," said Barry.

Everyone clinks their bottles before drinking.

"It certainly feels good to win for once," said Tracy.

"On Team Flash, you'll get that feeling every day," said H.R.

H.R. and Tracy share a quick kiss.

"I must admit, it was nice of Caitlin to help save the city," said Cecile, reluctant to feel proud of her but feels so anyway.

"I think we can all agree that it was Killer Frost who ruined this city, not Caitlin," said Barry.

"Keep telling us that, Barry," said Jesse sarcastically.

"I guess it's time for us to move back in," said Barry. "Joe, we can have the old house rebuilt."

"You really want to do that, Barry?" asked Joe.

"Look, Joe, I know it'll brink back memories of Iris, but that's not what that house should stand for," said Barry. "It should be a reminder that no matter how many bricks are knocked down or how much wood is burned, we always find a way to rebuild. It's what Iris would want."

"She would," agreed Joe.

Suddenly, a quake occurred, followed by thunder rolling and lightning flashing in the sky.

"Oh, what now?" complained Wally.

"Earthquake?" guessed Tracy.

"No, it's something else," said Jay.

Team Flash exit the bar to see an unusual kind of lightning storm descending upon Central City. People were running left and right, trying not to get struck. Cars are flipped. Buildings are damaged. It all felt like the Central City Catastrophe, as the news called it, all over again.

"It's the Speed Force," said Jay, recognizing the energy in the sky.

"I don't get it. I thought Savitar was dead," said Joe.

"Exactly," said Jay. "When you freed me from the Speed Force prison, you emptied it and now it's become unstable. Now, it's energy is being released everywhere at a disastrous manner."

"How do we stop it?" asked Wally.

"By giving it what it wants," said Barry. "I'm gonna run into it."

"What, Barry, no, you can't do that," said Jesse. "There's gotta be another way."

"There is no other way," said Barry. "The Speed Force needs a prisoner and that's what I'm going to give it."

"But Central City needs The Flash, B.A.," said H.R.

"And they do have. Two of them," said Barry, looking at Wally and Jesse. "I know you two can do it. It's time you take off the training wheels."

Barry gives Wally a hug, and then gives one to Jesse.

"Barry, think about your choice," said Jay. "The Speed Force prison is more than just a prison."

"It felt like hell, Barry," said Wally.

Suddenly, a breach to the Speed Force opened. Stepping out of it is a person with a face that is familiar to a certain few of Team Flash."

"Barry, it's your mother," said Joe.

"Barry isn't going to hell," said Nora. "But like all runners, he's reached his finish line."

The lightning strikes continue as the people panicked and ran for cover. The energy from the Speed Force is becoming even more unstable every second. Barry knows he has to go now, but not without saying his goodbyes.

He approaches H.R. and Tracy and says, "Good luck. Both of you. You two need each other."

Barry hugs H.R., who wipes his tears with his drumstick. He then gives Tracy a hug.

There was only one last person to say goodbye to. Joe. The man Barry had called his father and was proud to do so. Joe was clearly saddened by the thought of losing Barry when he had already lost Iris.

"We spent so much time trying to save Caitlin, you didn't mention that we were supposed to save you too," said Joe sadly.

"You did save me, Joe," said Barry, smiling. "You took in an 11-year-old boy with a broken heart, gave him a home, and so much love. No son ever felt more love from a father."

"And no father ever felt more love from a son," said Joe, on the verge of crying.

Barry and Joe hug one last time. It hurt them both that this could be the last time they'll see each other.

"My beautiful boy," called Nora. "It's time to rest."

Barry walks towards his "mother" and holds her hand as she walks him into the breach. Barry took one last minute to look back at his family. He smiles at them, trying to reflect some more hope into them. In his last few seconds with them, he wanted to make sure that they won't let this event bring them back into the darkness. Like Crystal told him, a true hero would always see the light in the darkness and that's what he's trying to teach his friends, all with a simple smile.

Barry and Nora enter the Speed Force as the breach closes. The lightning storm ceased. All Team Flash can do now is process how they're feeling right now.

Deep within the shadows, a white-haired figure watched the whole thing happen. She, too, was stricken with sorrow to see Barry Allen enter the Speed Force, but she chose to walk away and hide rather than approach Team Flash.

* * *

 _Eight months later..._

At a hospital in Gotham, a woman was giving birth to a child. Doctors were present in the hospital room housing a young brunette named Crystal Frost. She was in so much pain right now because the baby is coming. The doctors and nurses present in the room put on their masks as Crystal did what she was supposed to do. In the end, the baby has arrived.

"It's a boy," said the midwife, holding the baby in her arms.

"Give him to me," asked Crystal, eager to hold her child.

The midwife gives the baby to Crystal. She smiles as she looks at her beautiful baby son. He was so cute, she had to poke his nose.

"Do you have a name for him?" asked a doctor.

"Bartholomew," said Crystal. "Bartholomew Henry Frost."

 **THE END**

 **Caitlin has a son! Yay! Do you have an idea who he is? He's not an OC. He's based on a character from the comics. I'll give you a hint: Read the first four letters of the baby's name.**

 **And so, that concludes "Unbelievable". I'm sure you're expecting the sequel involving our heroes fighting Darkseid to come next. Well, I may have to postpone that. I'm planning a Killer Frost spin-off. If you want a hint, it's a Suicide Squad-style story that will feature Killer Frost with her own team to fight some villains. Trust me, it's more complex than that.**


End file.
